Sunderland shoplifter targeted South Shields shops to satisfy his drinking addiction

Richard Hall, 40, of Eastfield Street, High Barnes, is starting 16 weeks behind bars for a total of eight shop thefts committed over 10 weeks.

He struck between Sunday, November 9, and Tuesday, January 27, in South Shields, Gateshead and Newcastle, a court heard.

In total, he pinched £126.50 of goods, including wine and snacks from food retailer Greggs and alcohol from Tesco.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard Hall’s life was consumed by his alcohol problem and he was unable to help himself towards rehabilitation.

His solicitor described his booze intake as “phenomenal” and said he was surprised Hall was “walking around at all”.

Hall’s spree started with a theft from an Iceland store in Gateshead on November 9, prosecutor Jade Houston said.

On Sunday, January 4, and Tuesday, January 6, he targeted a Gateshead branch of Greggs, taking £16 of stock.

And on Friday, January 16, and Tuesday, January 27, he stole from Morrisons, in Dean Road, South Shields.

Hall also pinched a £9.50 bottle of wine from Tesco’s outlet in Percy Street, central Newcastle, on Saturday, January 17.

His spree ended with thefts from the Co-op, in Mortimer Road, South Shields, on Saturday, January 24, and January 27.

Of his Tesco theft, Ms Houston said: “He took a bottle of £9.50 wine and was approached by police after this.

“They asked him to take his hands out of his pockets, but he has thrown a bottle of wine to the ground.”

Hall was also arrested for being drunk and disorderly at a station of the Tyne and Wear Metro rail network on Sunday, January 11.

Ms Houston added: “It was in front of an elderly couple and some younger people.

“Police asked him to walk away, or he would be arrested. He was later seen at a Metro station and continued to be aggressive.

“Officers noticed he was drunk, and he was arrested. He has 72 previous convictions from 122 offences.”

Hall pleaded guilty to eight counts of theft from a shop and one of being drunk and disorderly.

Alastair Naismith, defending, told District Judge Zoe Passfield: “You can see from the items taken that he’s effectively stealing to feed himself, and for his addiction, it’s wine.

“One theft was potato wedges from Greggs. He’s not a shoplifter who steals to sell. He needs help with his alcohol. He is almost constantly intoxicated.

“I don’t see the merit in returning him to custody. I think there are other options available to you.

“He describes drinking five or six bottles of wine a day, which is a phenomenal amount of alcohol.

“I’m not surprised he’s not attending appointments. I’m surprised he’s walking around at all.”

Judge Passfield jailed Hall for 16 concurrent weeks for each shop theft, with no separate penalty for drunk and disorderly, and ordered him to pay £126.50 compensation.