A Carisbrooke man has been given 1 last chance to sort out his behaviour after being convicted of yet another shoplifting offence.
Ross Minter, 45, of Whitcombe Road in Carisbrooke, pleaded guilty to theft from a shop when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on Tuesday (17th October).
Ann Smout, prosecuting, told the court that on 17th August 2023, at around 13:30, Minter entered the Waitrose Store in East Cowes and was seen putting some kale in his shopping basket. He then proceeded to place numerous meat items in the basket including lamb joints, beef joints and steak.
The 45-year-old then left the premises, making no attempts to pay for the £146 worth of goods he had taken.
Defending, Barry Arnett said that for almost half of his life, Minter has struggled with drug abuse and that he was stealing to fund his habit after he temporarily stopped taking his methadone script for a few days.
Minter was featured on Island Echo as recently as August after he was sentenced for stealing sunglasses from Boots in Newport. Back in June he was sentenced after stealing a power drill from B&Q.
Magistrates told Minter that his list of convictions was ‘appalling’ and that he had fallen ‘just shy of the custody threshold’.
His current community order was revoked and he was instead sentenced to 12 months custody, suspended for 12 months. He was ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation activity days and undertake a 9-month drug rehabilitation review order.
Compensation of £146 was ordered to be paid to Waitrose.
So Please tell me Mr Arnett, How will he pay his Compensation of £146.00 when stealing is to fund is drug habit, does he have spare cash?
Benefits will be used.
Makes me wonder if it pays to work hard thesedays.
I’m grafting 7 days a week to survive.
He Will go shoplifting to pay his fine.99% of fines are paid with criminal earnings ie. stealing and drug money..The courts accept money from the proceeded to crime and they no it.
He will not pay his fines until the compensation is paid by deduction from his benefits.which will take years at the rate it’s deducted at a miserly fixed rate. He a thief who affords drugs. The prisons are full give him a curfew 23 hrs a day
Doubt it probably have to go out and steal again !!!!!!!
Once a thief always a thief, especially when drugs are involved !!!!!
With RuneScape bonds ofc
Think, and then realise WHY magistrates no longer CAN give appropriate sentences now.
It is because our prisons are full with not only our own criminals but now much of the third worlds.
Criminals KNOW that unless their crimes are worse than those already incarcerated, nothing meaningful will happen.
So more people are taking advantage including recent arrivals.
End them free up room for our criminals and save millions too.
How many “chances” are these repeat offenders going to get? Oh, I forgot, our useless magistrates don’t send people on the island to prison do they, they are as bad as the criminals themselves.
His list of convictions are ‘appalling’? Ban him from entering any shop, anywhere in the UK.
I just cannot believe that anyone would steal kale!
How do I get hold of him ? I need a new cheap lawnmower and a couple of joints for my freezer.
Just leave a trail of drugs to your door.