A 22-year-old Ryde man who committed a spate of offences including burglary and criminal damage, simply because he was bored, has been handed a 6-month prison sentence.
Josef Wilkins, of Pelhurst Road, appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court this morning (Friday) for sentencing, just days after pleading guilty to the charges against him.
Liz Miller, prosecuting, told the court that on 25th April, Wilkins and an accomplice, his brother Damon broke into the Central Store in Newport. Wilkins entered the store through a hole in the glass that they had created and took a bottle of rum from inside. The pair left the scene before Wilkins returned some 30 minutes later. He was apprehended by the store manager and arrested by Police shortly after.
On 19th May, between midnight and 01:00, Wilkins and his brother Damon Wilkins caused criminal damage to a CCTV camera at a shop on Meadow Road in East Cowes. The pair were seen banging on windows and doors. The damage sustained was deemed beyond repair.
The 3rd incident took place at McColl’s in Ryde on the evening of 23rd October, where Wilkins was seen outside the convenience store on Union Street in Ryde by the shop’s manager. The manager shouted down to Wilkins who was standing outside and he ran away. Heading downstairs to see if any damage had been caused a traffic cone was found and damage to the exterior of the property.
The most recent offence was last weekend – on 30th October – when Wilkins broke into Sainsbury’s in Cowes at around 04:30. As previously reported by Island Echo, Police received reports of a man breaking into the shop on Shooters Hill. Police were called to the scene and found Wilkins hiding, arresting him shortly after. The court heard that Wilkins caused £724 worth of damage to steal just £10 worth of Fosters and Carlsberg.
Both the October offences were committed whilst Wilkins was on bail for previous criminal matters.
Defending the 22-year-old, Barry Keel told the court that Wilkins was a troubled young man and that he needed to get a grip of his drinking. He also added that the offences were committed as Wilkins was bored and frustrated with things. The court was told that Wilkins suffers from learning difficulties.
After lengthy deliberations, Magistrates told Wilkins that his offences showed an ‘escalating pattern of offending’ and that he had been warned of committing further offences whilst on bail.
For the Sainsbury’s burglary, the bench handed the 22-year-old a 6-month prison sentence with 1 month to be served concurrently for the Central burglary. He was also ordered to pay £150 in compensation for the CCTV damage that took place in East Cowes.
His brother Damon Wilkins – who committed the East Cowes vandalism and Central burglary with Josef and was also sentenced on Friday (4th November) – has been made subject to an 18-month community order, to include alcohol abstinence monitoring for 120 days, and 25 rehabilitation days. He must also pay £150 compensation for the CCTV damage.
Troubled young man who was bored, knobhead, bring back national service instead of wrapping these idiots in cotton wool
The Services don’t need people with learning difficulties.
Bored and frustrated…………so that entitles you to break into shops and businesses.
I’m bored and frustrated at the lack of respect these individuals have for others property and belongings…….Does that give me the right to kick the living day light out of you when you break into my business?
Learning difficulties…….. seems the only difficulty is you don’t respect others property and belongings……
I’m sure you will not be bored in prison…….. just hope nobody breaks into your back door due to Being bored!
Ha ha love it
The court was told that Wilkins suffers from learning difficulties.
didn’t have any problems learning to be a thieving s cumbag, though did he.
didn’t have any problems learning about alcohol
didn’t have any problems learning about breaking and entering techniques
just a lazy, worthless p rick, that hopefully won’t have any problems learning about being his cellmates bitch
HOOOOORAY. FINALLY a prison sentence. Perhaps, just perhaps a stint inside might stop this ‘bored’ idiot from doing anything like this again. Hopefully it will be a horrible experience and he’ll reform his ways??????!!!!
£150 fine for causing £724 worth of damage, how does that work, obviously won’t pay it anyway as he’s a benefit’s layabout, unfortunately the island is full of these worthless people who just get away with it constantly, what’s the betting he will be out by Christmas due to the soft touch courts
Is it not wonderful how all these criminals develop problems, troubles and issues after they have been arrested, I do not blame them ,they all come out of the defence solicitors play book,an excuse for any sitiuation , what worries me more is the magistrates and judges who fall for it every time they appear before them.
Agree I do wonder if the magistrates and some judges live in the real world, they have little understanding of real life in my book.
I O W used to be a nice holiday destination , now its full of feral chavs with no moral standards. All caused by bad parenting and woke diversity rammed down every ones throat .
If he is bored stop his free handouts and make him get a job. Obviously too much free time on his hands. They are quick enough telling a disabled person they are fit to work and stop THEIR money, but never a question asked about paying waste of space junkies and drunks thousand of pounds a year out of a workman’s taxes who is struggling to survive. The DWP need to get some priorities and principles sorted about payment to those taking the p*ss out of the system and those who are genuinely ill or sick. THEY are NOT the ones poncing off the country, THEY are the ones who have paid into it
Learning difficulties is that the new term now for alcoholics? National Service needs to be brought back at least they will be off the streets and not bored but learning discipline and respect along with how to live as part of the human race, obviously there were issues with his upbringing,