Shoplifter blames universal credit for his thefts from health food store and garage
HE IS SENT TO PRISON AFTER BREACHING A SUSPENDED SENTENCE
A SHOPLIFTER who had been spared jail went on to target a health food store because he said his universal credit was not enough.
Daniel Parker was on a suspended sentence when he struck at a shop in Matlock with a female accomplice.
The accomplice was also with him when they again targeted a petrol station in Darley Dale. Parker has now been jailed.
A court heard he was caught on CCTV stealing protein powder from Holland & Barrett in Matlock.
The 30-year-old, of Dale Road in Matlock Bath, was already on a suspended sentence for a previous crime.
Prosecutor Neil Hollett said Parker was captured on CCTV when he twice targeted the shop. He said: “On May 14 the defendant entered the Holland & Barrett store with a female carrying some carrier bags.
“The defendant and the female he was with were seen to pick up a container of protein powder and then leave the store without making any attempt to pay.
“On May 22 this defendant and a female entered the store again. They selected the protein powder and left the store without making any attempt to pay.
“They were later identified by CCTV footage.”
Mr Hollett said on one further occasion, on May 13, Parker and his female accomplice stole three packs of cheese and seven fourpacks of tuna from a petrol station in
Darley Dale, goods valued at £50.47.
In his defence, solicitor Kirsty Sargent said her client had fallen onto hard times. She said: “We have discussed today how and why these offences have occurred when things were going well for him.
“He says he has simply got into money difficulties, receiving minimal amounts of universal credit, and he has fallen into his old ways.”
At Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court, Parker admitted three counts of shoplifting and was ordered to pay back a total of £55.27 in compensation.
His suspended sentence was activated on top of ten weeks’ jail time for the shoplifting offences, resulting in a total of 14 weeks’ imprisonment.