A Sandown man with an ‘appalling criminal record’ has been fined £80 after he admitted stealing alcohol from a local petrol station. Paul Smart, 37, of Fort Street, pleaded guilty to theft from a shop when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court earlier this week (Tuesday). Prosecuting, Liz Miller told the court that on 25th October, Police were called to The Co-op garage on Avenue Road in Sandown after receiving reports of a shoplifting incident. At the scene, Police reviewed the footage of the incident in which Smart was seen stealing a bottle of wine making no attempts to pay as he left the store. Smart has what was described in court as a ‘pretty appalling record’ and was last before the courts- for an offence of a similar nature – back in September 2023. Defending, Michael McGoldrick said that his client was ashamed he had started 2024 with an appearance at court and that at the time he had run out of money and wanted some alcohol. Magistrates handed Smart an £80 fine. He was also ordered to pay costs of £85, a £4 compensation fee and a £32 surcharge fee. As he was sentenced, Smart said that this was the most expensive bottle of wine he had ever had.
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Obviously had some bottle
Not funny, not unexpected from this contributors obvious intellectual prowess.
Too many alcoholics on this small island.
Not so smart. Repeat offender. ‘Felt like some alcohol’. Totally untrustworthy, thick as two short planks and thinks he can help himself to anything he fancies. What do the courts do? Slap on the wrist.
Same individual from Sandham house walks up and down Sandown high street every day stealing from shops, as if he’s going to pay any fine from his benefits, move him and monitor closely so he stops plaguing local shops
If this piece of scum has such an appalling criminal record, why is he being allowed to walk around still adding to it?
It must pay to continue shoplifting, penalties are not working, maybe they are not severe enough. The law needs to think about penalties that make life less pleasant. Maybe along the line of curfews , tagging, not allowed mobile phone, internet, sky TV, etc