Man dumped by girlfriend went on shoplifting spree

Mihai Talian, 31, of Brierley Cottages, Sutton, admitted stealing polo shirts and jeans worth a total of £142 from Sports Direct and River Island in Mansfield on February 26.

And he also pleaded guilty to stealing food worth £12 from the Asda on Priestic Road, in Sutton, three days later, while on police bail.

Lee Shepherd, prosecuting, said: “Staff saw him acting suspiciously. As he left the store an alarm sounded but he walked straight into a PCSO.

“The other items were recovered with security tags on them.

“He told police on March 29 he stole the food because he was hungry.”

Morgan Hogarth, mitigating, said: “On February 26 he had a telephone conversation with his girlfriend in Romania who told him she had formed a new liaison.

“He says he stole purely to get arrested in some misguided attempt to gain sympathy and attention.”

The court heard Talian had lost his job at Sport Direct after the thefts were discovered and his employment with an agency had dropped from five days a week to one.

When he was arrested for stealing food he was found with money, but he told police it was for his rent.

Deputy District Judge Derek French said: “It’s not one offence it’s four offences, and the last one was committed while you were on bail for the first three.”

Talian was given a 12 month community order and told he must carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.

He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60 and £170 costs.