Thief spared jail so he can appear on Jeremy Kyle
A SERIAL shoplifter escaped jail after telling magistrates he hoped to appear on television in The Jeremy Kyle Show.
Dean Grundell, 44, claims an appearance on the notorious daytime show will help cure him of the drug addiction that is fuelling his criminal behaviour.
After listening to claims that he is seeking help and ‘desperate to get into rehab’, magistrates gave Grundell a suspended jail sen- tence for three offences of stealing from shops in Huddersfield.
His solicitor Jonathan Slawinski told Kirklees magistrates: ‘He wants to go on the programme so that he can be taken to a rehabilitation unit. He’s in the process of going through the motions and it’s genuine. The show producers at ITV have confirmed to me that he has applied for help.’
Grundell has been a drug addict for 25 years, and has 149 offences to his name, 63 of which are theft related.
He admitted stealing perfume from a TK Maxx store and brandy worth £272 from Sainsbury’s in January, as well as £45 of alcohol from the supermarket in December.
The defendant was arrested after being caught on CCTV stealing bottles of spirits. He tested positive for cocaine and opiates after his arrest.
Mr Slawinski said his client was a long-term drug addict who now suffered an ‘appalling’ infection to his legs. Magistrates were told his planned appearance on Jeremy Kyle showed he wanted to conquer his problems. ‘He’s in a real mess and wants to go to rehab, said Mr Slawinski.
‘ The show producers are speaking to family members and Mr Grundell and he’s being
‘Desperate for rehab’
processed for consideration. That shows how desperate he is to go into rehab.’
Grundell, of Huddersfield, was banned from entering specific local stores where he has stolen from before as part of a two-year criminal behaviour order. He was also given an 18week suspended jail sentence.
As part of the order to control his anti-social behaviour, Grundell is also banned from remaining in any shop in the area when asked to leave by staff.
Almost four years ago Grundell was banned from begging across the Kirklees district under a strict anti-social behaviour order.
He was branded a ‘nuisance’ by police for his persistent offending and banned from shops in the town centre and the local railway station.