Well-known offender Stephen Durkin has been ordered to pay nearly £700 – and handed a 4-month suspended sentence – by magistrates after he pleaded guilty to a series of alcohol thefts from Tesco Extra.
44-year-old Durkin, of Sandham House in Sandown, appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on 12th June after committing a string of thefts from Tesco Extra in Ryde over the first 2 weeks of May.
The court heard how, on 2nd May, Durkin stole £294.25 worth of alcohol from the Ryde-based superstore.
It was then heard that just 9 days later, on 11th May, Durkin returned to the store where he set his target on the alcohol aisle once again. This time leaving the shop with £288.50 worth of goods.
Orginally pleading not guilty, the magistrates heard Durkin’s decision to change his plea to one that reflects a guilty man.
The Magistrates handed down a 4-month suspended sentence and ordered the defendant to pay the court costs of £100 and compensation of £582.75 to Tesco, totalling his bill to £682.75.
