Dad jailed after stuffing steak and chocolate into his trousers during shopping trip to Aldi in South Shields

Glenn McMann, 30, of Wharton Street, South Shields, is behind bars after being caught thieving from Aldi in Chichester Road, South Shields.

He put beef steaks down his trousers and chocolate into his pockets – then paid for other items at the checkout, a court heard.

But a staff member and a plainclothes police officer had spotted this criminal activity on Tuesday, March 24.

Prosecutor Kirstie Devine said McMann, who pleaded guilty to theft at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, was nabbed as he exited.

Magistrates activated a six-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, imposed in July last year for another theft offence.

They reduced it to 20 weeks but then added another four weeks to run consecutively for his latest crime.

Mrs Devine said: “The witness is a sales assistant who sees the defendant conceal produce down his trousers.

“He paid for some items but then left the store. A plainclothes officer was in the store and followed him out.

“Beef steaks were found down his trousers and chocolate in his pockets. He is subject to a suspended sentence.”

Tom Morgan, defending, told magistrates: “Mr McMann is under no illusion about his position today.

“He is a man with previous serious issues of alcohol and attends the court without having had a recent drink of alcohol.

“He is a man with a very young child, who requires surgery and numerous trips for that to Liverpool are needed.

“He had also just lost his grandfather, but he doesn’t know why he did this, other than stupidity and sheer pressure of everything that was going on in his life.”

Addressing the court before sentencing, McMann said: “I’ve been doing really well. I have a daughter now. It was just a silly mistake. Please, can you find it in your heart?”

But John Lee, chairman of the bench, told him he would have been well aware the court had previously given him the benefit of the doubt over his offending.

McMann must pay a £122 victim surcharge. There were no court costs.

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