Sutton man ‘off his head’ on drugs during Co-op booze raid

Martin Toon used a metal grate to cause £3,000 of damage at the Co-op on Alfreton Road, Sutton, at 4.20am, on August 27, magistrates in Mansfield were told.

He put £600 of spirits into a Bag for Life before making his escape with another man, but he was traced via blood that was left at the scene.

He later told police that he didn’t plan the raid because he was “off his head” on drugs, and couldn’t even remember the name of his accomplice.

Magistrates heard Toon has 14 previous convictions for 28 offences – 16 of which are related to theft - and was last in court in September 2019 for theft and criminal damage.

Probation officer Cheryl Nisbett said there had been a two-week delay in his benefits and he decided to steal “rather than sponge off his friends”.

But she added he was using £30 of heroin and £30 of crack cocaine per day.

"That’s probably more of a contributing factor than anything else in my view,” she said. “There is flawed decision-making.”

Lesley Pidcock, mitigating, said Toon has learning difficulties and suffers from a range of mental health issues. At the time of the offences, he had come off his medication.

But she said he has been clean of hard drugs since August.

"There’s clearly work that can and should be done with this defendant in the community,” she told the court.

Magistrates heard that Toon also suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, and that the authorities decided he made himself deliberately homeless when he was unable to face living in messy conditions at the YMCA. He has been homeless and sofa-surfing for two years, the court heard.

Toon, 29, care of Welbeck Street, admitted burglary and criminal damage on Thursday.

He received a 12 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with 15 rehabilitation activity days.

He was also ordered to pay £200 towards the cost of compensation, a £128 surcharge and £86 court costs.

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