A serial offender – who has admitted committing yet more dishonesty offences – says he would rather be in prison than back on the streets. Warren Russell, 40, of no fixed abode, appeared via video link from HMP Isle of Wight today (Tuesday) and admitted 3x theft from a shop and 1x attempted theft from a shop. Just weeks after being released from prison, on 7th June, Russell entered Sainsbury’s on Union Street and stole 6 Taste The Difference steaks and some Red Bull valued at around £38.20. On the 16th June, he entered the store again and stole 12 tubes of Oral-B toothpaste and 11 cans of Dove and Sure deodorant totalling £115.00. Finally, on 16th June, Russell stole some Lenor fabric conditioner, Fairy pods and a sandwich totalling £58.60. Russell also attempted to steal items from Iceland on High Street on 14th June, but was stopped at the door of the supermarket and gave the goods over. The 40-year-old has appeared on Island Echo on numerous occasions. He has now massed up a mammoth record of over 115 convictions and in 2023 alone he appeared in court no less than 4 times and completed 3 stints in prison. He was handed a Criminal Behaviour Order back in March which prevented him from entering certain premises that he had been previously banned from. In April, Russell was jailed for 30 weeks but was released earlier than planned – in mid-May. Defending Michael McGoldrick, told the court that upon his release from prison, Russell was immediately street homeless and was living in a tent on Ryde Seafront until it was vandalised. He added that Russell had asked to be remanded in custody following his arrest last week (19th June). Addressing magistrates – who were thinking of releasing Russell from custody and bailing him to a later date – the 40-year-old said; ‘I’d rather be in here with a roof over my head than back on the streets again’. Magistrates remanded Russell citing his ‘atrocious record’ and ‘unwillingness to cooperate’ as their reasoning for doing so. The 40-year-old will appear before magistrates again on the 16th July when a pre-sentence report will be available to the sentencing bench.
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the 40-year-old said; ‘I’d rather be in here with a roof over my head than back on the streets again’.
then the suitable punishment for him is to be on the streets, homeless and hungry – with shopkeepers given the right to use extreme violence against him, if he dares enter their shops;
isn’t it about time they brought back the concept of ‘hard labour’ as a sentence, rather than languishing in a ‘holiday camp’
perhaps if he actually had to do something difficult/hard/unpleasent whilst serving time, he wouldn’t be so keen to get back in
I’m sure loads of people think the same way, but as soon as some one of authority comes up with the idea, the hand wringers and do gooders step in and stop it happening. Hence the reason why there is so much theiving scum laughing at the system. Back in my day, theiving scum were delt with, with a kicking and a few damaged fingers. Now, prison is a better place than some people have got out here, and a guaranteed decent free meal. Bugger all deterant what so ever and free handouts waiting for them when they come out
….whaaat, “extreme violence”? Sounds like your own behaviour needs an assessment.
Thank goodness for some sensible comment unlike the usual tedious Redkneck, Extremists right wing intolerance. Perhaps a couple of you spend a few nights living rough. Do you think this man actually wants this life style. Get back to your ivory towers & gorge yourselves on GB News
Good to see Fascism is alive.
Perhaps you didn’t understand or have any notion of the last bit of Warren’s comment.
What a looser is he ever going to contribute anything to society or just take take take, oh well choices & consequences.
Surely this is creating a cobra effect? Giving him a nice stay in prison is just encouraging more crime, and prison costs more than a hotel. Bizarre worls we live in. Ive said it before, and I’ll say it again, there should be special punishments for this type of offender, this seems like a very sad mental illness. In prison, he’ll have access to all the drugs he wants, rack up a debt, steal to pay debts once out, rinse, repeat.
And let me guess he won’t be fined £211+ court costs it will just be a £25 fine and 1 month in prison
What is the point in fining someone who will never have the ability to pay?
And don’t say “take it from his benefits”. We all know that will just promt him to commit more crime and wind up in prison.
Which is where he wants to be?
Just let him carry on then shall we as they can’t lock him up for life so what do you suggest?
Given that it costs £47k a year to house a prisoner (aside from cost of thefts, court time, police time etc) but only £23k to house and pay benefits as a platform for longer term help the answer is bloody obvious.
This is what becoming institutionalized looks like. In prison He has a roof, water, electric, a bed, probably tv’s, computers, gym, food, no council tax, a doctor/dentist when ever needed etc. I genuinely wonder psychologically and practically, what it would take to turn this kind of life around.
Show him what a job is and try and show him some self respect.
Hilarious watching all of the regular mouth breathers who are usually demanding prison wanting this guy on the streets, where he will probably continue to commit crime, merely because they want him to be miserable.
Makes it pretty clear that they are more interested in seeing someone punished rather than the main purpose of prison, which is public protection.
“seeing someone punished rather than the main purpose of prison, which is public protection”
well maybe that’s the problem,…
perhaps ‘crime’ should be punished,.. rather than just deprivation of liberty in a holiday camp
Agree but prison needs to be harsh.No luxuries and 1 meal per day.
How about we part ex him with a dingy arrival, at least they want to actually work, and then send this waste of a life on a plane to Rwanda.
Maybe a modern-day version of the workhouse needs to be implemented, where people like Mr Russell could be put to work and also given living quarters.
There were problems with workhouses in the past but things are different now.
We just have to accept that some people just can’t cope with today’s world. Putting them in prison because they stole to buy food then releasing them to sleep on the streets without making sure they are at least referred to a food bank only puts them back into their roundabouts lifestyle. As a society we should be taking care of these people, making sure they take their medication and feeding them so their physical and mental health improves. Then we would save costs in police time, prison costs, legal fees, etc. But there is no such thing as society, is there?
You’re so right. But some people commenting here see violence towards offenders as a personally satisfying solution.
What is the point of this human being? Everyone has the opportunity to make the most out of their life, why do some people just not bother, just means the tax payer will be funding his life!!
Maybe the amputation of his hand that he uses to steal with will slow him down a touch? Or society has two other options. 1, Post him off to Rwanda or 2, Dump him down the empty coal mines that Margaret Thatcher closed down in the 80’s!
I don’t mind which one is chosen?
So you agree with Sharia law? Eye for an Eye hand chopped off for stealing? You should live in Iran.
Caught this scumbag 3 times trying the nick stuff, a total lowlife, he should be taken off the island and dumped elsewhere, see how long he lasts on the mainland. Mental health issues, no, just a total waste of space. Maybe nick some gaffa tape and fix your tent mate.
Just take the waste of space piece of scum out. Why is he being allowed to be a serial offender? No use to any one and a burdon to everyone. Taken out= no stealing and no grand a week prison expenses, no copping the bill for the tax payers
‘Unwillingness to co-operate…’ Whose, I wonder? He’s told you why he does it, he’s told you what he needs. The fact he doesn’t up his crime severity to get a longer sentence should be a pointer to that question. Fabric conditioner, Fairy pods…..and a sandwich. Hopefully he ate it before he was arrested. Our prisons contain more like him (at a cost of £47k a year) than the ‘illegals’ you all bang on about but no-one stops to ask why. Choices? Theoretically we are all born equal but for some it just goes down from thereon in, not up. That’s not his life, that’s just existence. I suspect the choice of living was something he never had, as far more than you realise ever do. Free up prison space by housing him = room for serious offenders.
Living rough is hard work, he’s too lazy to even do that properly. I lived rough for almost a year and can tell you it’s much easier in the summer than any other season so why lock him up? I don’t know what the answer is for this man, he won’t accept help and he won’t commit to change.