Shanklin man Alex Cooper – who admitted yet another shoplifting offence when he appeared in court earlier this week – has been given 3 months to stay out of trouble and cooperate with probation.
Cooper, 26 of Oaklyn Gardens in Shanklin, admitted theft from a shop when they appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court earlier this week (Friday 30th May).
Prosecuting, Lauren McConnell, told the court that on the 25th January at around 17:15, Cooper and another man entered Home Bargains in Carisbrooke and placed several items into a trolley as they walked around the store.
The duo then left the shop without making any attempts to pay before loading the goods into a waiting car and leaving the scene.
The court heard how Cooper has more than 70 offences on his record.
Representatives from the Probation Service told the court that Cooper – who is currently subject to 2 community orders – is at ‘high risk of re-offending’ and that of a total of 250 hours of unpaid work attached to both orders, only 13 have been completed. One of those orders was imposed back in 2022 when Cooper was sentenced for stealing more than £250 worth of Pokemon cards.
Defending Cooper, Nick Muir, told the court that Cooper was experiencing issues with his benefits at the time of the incident and that the offences were not committed whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
After lengthy deliberations, Magistrates deferred Cooper’s sentence until the 29th August to give him a chance to comply with the requirements of the community order and to stop re-offending.
We all know shoplifting is wrong, but it does not
kill persons.
Yet persons drive dangerously whilst being disquieted
from driving and could kill innocent persons.
Yet such driving convictions does not seem to equal
prison sentences, but shoplifting does.
Very strange!
Unfortunately we all end up paying higher prices to cover shoplifting
I cannot believe shops do not employ security like
they did in the old days, best deterrent.
hurty words get you prison..