Serial criminal adds to his 224 offences and 94 convictions with South Shields shop thefts and drug possession
The offender pinched £100 of protein powder from retailer B&M’s Waterloo Square branch in South Shields town centre among other offences.
A serial criminal added to his sky-high tally of 224 offences and 94 convictions by stealing from two South Tyneside shops and being caught with drugs on the same day.
Steven Lee, 43, pinched £100 of protein powder from retailer B&M’s Waterloo Square branch in South Shields town centre on Monday, February 2, a court heard.
Lee, of Courtfield Road, Walker, Newcastle, also took an unknown amount of clothing from neighbouring firm Next, prosecutor Leah Plews said.
He was caught in the act and all items were recovered but a search revealed he was also in possession of 100 non-prescribed diazepam tablets.
At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, he pleaded guilty to two counts of theft from a shop and one of illegal possession of a class C drug.
The offender also admitted breaching a community order, imposed by Newcastle Magistrates’ Court in May, by failing to attend two appointments with the Probation Service.
Ms Plews said: “At Next, the defendant stole clothing to an unknown value and then protein powder of £100 from B&M.
“I can confirm that all the items were recovered so there is no application for compensation.
“He was searched by an officer and the tablets were found on his person. He was interviewed and gave full and frank admissions.
“He has 94 previous convictions from 224 offences, 151 are related to theft or similar matters and there are 14 relating to drugs.”
Jonathan Pigford, defending, said: “It’s long-term, deep seated criminogenic needs that he has. You’ve to give him credit for his guilty pleas.
“It’s some time since he committed any offence, it’s almost six months, which is quite significant. There are periods of non-offending, and he is in one of those.
“He had been living in a Travelodge for eight weeks and there was an 11-week period when he was living in hotels, getting moved from room to room.”
The Probation Service confirmed Lee breached his community order by missing appointments with its team on Thursday, May 21, and Thursday, June 25.
For his drug and theft offences, magistrates fined him £140, with £85 court costs and a £56 victim surcharge.
They fined him £60 for his breach of the community and imposed £60 Probation Service costs.