Serial thief back in jail
CRIMINAL’S RECORD ‘ONE OF WORST YOU COULD SEE’
A HABITUAL thief with a record described as ‘one of the worst you could see’ in Manchester’s courts has been jailed again after breaking into a popular Northern Quarter bar.
John Sokolowski, 31, who has a staggering 196 offences on his record, smashed his way into Port Street Beer House, stealing whisky and an Ipad.
He then, just hours after being given bail, broke it by going to Piccadilly Gardens to try and score drugs.
He has now been jailed for nearly eight months by a judge who said he hadn’t ‘showed enough commitment’ to change his ways.
The break-in happened before lockdown in the early hours of Monday, February 17, Nicola Carroll prosecuting said.
He was seen by witnesses in nearby flats throwing a brick at the window of the real ale bar on Port Street, successfully smashing it on the third attempt.
He went inside and swiped two bottles of whisky and an tablet computer worth around £200.
The police had been alerted and he was arrested by officers nearby.
After being charged and his case being sent to the crown court, he was granted bail in March while he was awaiting sentence.
One of the conditions was that he must not enter Manchester city centre – however, just hours after being released he was found by officers in Piccadilly Gardens, the court was told.
“The inference being he had gone looking to buy drugs,” Ms Carroll said.
Sokolowski, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to burglary at an earlier hearing.
Th 31-year-old, who it was said has a ‘long standing serious drug addiction,’ was jailed for sevenand-a-half months by a judge sitting at Manchester Crown Court.
He appeared via video link from prison, with the barristers speaking and press observing via Skype as is the current arrangement during the pandemic.
He has 96 convictions for 196 offences, the court heard.
It was ‘one of the worst records you could see as a professional lawyer,’ Nick Ross, defending, said. “He says he is now serious about changing his lifestyle.
“In his own words he says he is sick of the same old roundabout or revolving door. These are cliches but it seems they in the forefront of his mind.
“If he was subjected to a suspended sentence he says his intention is to stay out of trouble.
”He can say that but actually doing it is a very different matter.
“It’s about time he changed his ways but time will tell.”
Passing sentence Judge Alan Conrad QC told him: “I released you on bail back in March, in the hope something might be done to break the cycle of offending.
“However, in a matter of hours you were in a place you shouldn’t be, back in your old haunts.
“That has led me to the conclusion you are not at the stage where you have shown enough commitment to co-operate with a noncustodial sentence.
“You have a very bad criminal record, which elevates this offence in my opinion.”