Edwinstowe man nicked Matalan clothes to buy food

Staff at the Sutton store spotted John Shelton concealing £104 of goods, on June 4, said prosecutor Robert Carr.

Shelton, 46, of High Street, admitted theft when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.

The court heard he was imprisoned for 12 months for theft at Lincoln Crown Court, in 2015.

Richard Etherington, mitigating, said Shelton began drinking and taking drugs after his mother was run over by a police car in 1998.

In the past he had stolen to fund his habit, he said, but after his release he had stopped taking heroin and cocaine and was now on a methadone programe.

“He lost his wallet which contained all his benefit money. He was unable to get a crisis loan from the Job Centre,” said Mr Etherington.

“Up until last year his offences were committed to fund a heroin habit but that’s not the case today.

“He lives on a financial knife-edge.”

District judge Andrew Meachin said: “You have a poor record, there’s no doubt about that, but there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel. You have been out of trouble for 20 months.

Shelton was given a two year conditional discharge, with £85 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.