£1.49 shoplifter may face prison

MAN BECAME AGGRESSIVE WITH STAFF OVER THEFT

A FIRST-TIME shoplifter who stole £1.49 of sweets from Tesco could be jailed.

Ben Elstob “manhandled” staff after he was apprehended at the self-service checkout.

The 27-year-old, who has mental health issues, must be sentenced by a judge after the theft breached a suspended sentence.

A court heard Elstob had paid for potatoes and some buns but tried sneaking the confectionery out the Jarrow branch by hiding it in his fleece pocket.

However, security spotted him on CCTV.

He was confronted and after some “verbal” became aggressive.

Four staff were needed to stop him before police arrived on August 30.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard Elstob injured some staff, while the colleagues were left “shocked” by his antics.

One security guard said: “I’ve never had such an aggressive or frightening offender in store.”

Elstob pleaded guilty to shop theft and using threatening words or behaviour.

It puts him in breach of a suspended sentence imposed at Newcastle Crown Court.

His previous convictions include possessing an offensive weapon.

However his solicitor claimed he had never stolen before, adding: “It has been a reaction to an embarrassing situation.”

Unemployed Elstob, described as being an “isolated young man”, will be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on December 4.

The defendant, of Iona Road, Jarrow, was granted unconditional bail.

The bench warned him: “We are going to send you back to the crown court and let them decide what to do with you.”