A serial thief from Shanklin who stole prescription drugs from Boots in Ryde has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting 6 offences, including burglary, theft and fraud.
Matthew Oxley, 38, of Hope Road, appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to a string of offences.
On 1st November last year, Oxley broke into Boots Pharmacy at Rink Road and stole Pregabalin. He was later found at Yelf’s Hotel with the stolen medication and was charged with both burglary and possession of a Class C drug.
The court heard that Oxley also targeted several Ryde shops in the weeks prior. He stole £103.90 of items from Hurst and Son, £7.70 worth of goods from Sainsbury’s, and over £50 worth of protein bars and vitamins from Holland & Barrett.
He then returned to Holland & Barrett and attempted to claim a refund on the stolen items, leading to a charge of fraud by false representation.
Defending Oxley, who spend a considerable time on remand after the commission of the offending, Oscar Vincent said that drug addiction had played a major role in his offending behaviour.
He added that before COVID-19, Oxley had lived a ‘respectable life’ but that a family bereavement and other personal issues had greatly affected him.
Oxley was sentenced to 6 months in prison, suspended for 2 years. Judge England ordered that the 38-year-old must also complete a 12-month non-residential drug rehabilitation programme, with regular review hearings beginning next month.
Island Echo previously reported how Oxley avoided jail in 2023 after threatening to throw acid at a shop worker in Ryde.
Unless the law gets tough on crime, crime will never stop!
Many persons have lost loved ones, they don’t go
and break into chemists.
Too many excuses thesedays.
We used to have the death penalty, sometimes commuted to transportation for some thefts. Never stopped people stealing as a deterrent though, did it? If it had, Australia would still be an indigenous population.
The island is in a desperate state of repair. The justice system is an absolute joke. The roads are so far beyond repair and the amount of idiots so called “running it” need either publicity calling out or something worse.
The law seems to be mollycoddling the scum and feral brats, what is that if it isn’t encouraging them? Do gooders and hand wringers are another problem stopping proper punishments. Criminals need to be in jail and feral brats in borstals
Plus, the feral brats parents need to take some responsibility
These fucking judges are pathetic might as well not bother and the scum needs jailing/stopping all benefits.
I totally agree with you and as for Judge England, sack the useless out of touch idiot.
How?
Just in God’s name how?
What does someone have to do to get a custodial sentence these days?
Justice , if you call it that, is a mockery, magistrates should hang their heads in shame!
He should have sent a politically sensitive tweet; would have got sent down for two and a half years.
The Island magistrates are far too soft, these people are antisocial and they should be taken off the streets.