Drug-fuelled supermarket swipe thief facing jail after South Shields spree

The case was heard at South Tyneside Magistrates Court | NW

A thief who pinched hundreds of pounds of stock from South Tyneside stores to feed his drug habit could be jailed.

Christopher Sharp, 38, targeted three Sainsbury’s outlets and a Co-op, Boots and Tesco, all in South Shields, over two months.

In committing his crimes against Sainsbury’s, Sharp, of Stanhope Road, Tyne Dock, breached a criminal behaviour order (CBO) five times.

His spree started at the Co-op’s outlet in Mortimer Road on Saturday, July 13, and again on Tuesday, August 27, netting him food totalling £151.

He also pinched from Sainsbury’s, at the Nook, on Thursday, August 8, and Monday, September 9, taking £205 of toiletries, razors and grub.

Prosecutor Glenda Beck said Sharp also stole eats totalling £126 from the firm’s Stanhope Road outlet on Friday, September 20, and Thursday, September 26.

And he raided Boots’ shop at the Nook on Thursday, September 19, stealing £181 of toiletries – and returned the next day to take £69 of stock.

His last offence was on Sunday, September 29, when he fled with £54 of food from Tesco, also at the same retail zone.

At the borough’s magistrates’ court, Sharp pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft and five of breaching a CBO.

He also asked for three further thefts – against Sainsbury’s in Binchester Street, Simonside, totalling £50 - to be taken into account.

Mrs Beck said: “He admitted all offences during an interview and said all offences were committed to sell to help his drugs’ problem.”

She said the CBO breaches, committed by entering Sainsbury’s, carried a starting point of a year behind bars.

David Forrester, defending, accepted Sharp’s latest offences were aggravated by his criminal record.

But he added: “There is some mitigation. I’ve known this young man for years, there are learning deficiencies.

“A few years ago, he lost his mother. She was the matriarch of the family and kept the family together. He spiralled into drug abuse, heroin and cocaine.”

District Judge Zoe Passfield told Sharp his crimes were so serious he must be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court.

She described his record of offending as “dreadful” but conceded there had been no recent support from the Probation Service.

The judge asked Probation to assess Sharp for his suitability to be placed on a drug rehabilitation programme.

She remanded him into custody to be sentenced at the crown court on Monday, November 4.