A man with an "extensive criminal history" walked into a Liverpool ONE clothes shop and stripped £700 of goods from its shelves. Colorado Gulakow, 28, tried to walk out of Trailberg without paying for the clothes he had grabbed, but was stopped by a female member of staff.
Robbery at Trailberg
The incident occurred on August 25 this year, just two months after Trailberg opened on Manesty's Lane, Liverpool city centre. After noticing Gulakow and another male picking up items and attempting to leave without paying, the female staff member stepped in front of the door and said: "Don't be d***heads."
Gulakow then grabbed her and shoved her out of the way before running out of the shop. CCTV images of the robbery were circulated by Merseyside Police, and the 28-year-old, of no fixed abode, was recognised by a police officer who had arrested him earlier that day.
Court appearance and criminal history
He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court for sentence today, October 28, having pleaded guilty to robbery. Prosecutor Jonathan Keane said Gulakow had 26 convictions for 46 offences dating from 2011 to 2026. These included multiple burglaries and dishonesty offences.
Olivia Bell, defending, said: "What can be said is that this offending was committed inside a chaotic lifestyle entrenched in class A drug misuse. He was able to demonstrate an insight into his offending, namely the root of his desperation to steal at the time. This doesn't excuse his actions that day, but provides context at the time."
She said Gulakow had a "traumatic upbringing where he never received any stability for a long time". She said: "At the time of this offence he was homeless with no stability.
"He accepts he was previously offered class 3 accommodation, but he tells me that was in Southport and at that time he was based in the city centre, and it was not a place he could get to himself, and he was suffered from class A drug abuse at the time." She said he had since been offered a place to live with his brother in Thameside.
Sentence
Sentencing, Mr Recorder Michael Armstrong said: "You have an extensive criminal history of 26 convictions for 46 offences going back to 2011, when you were only 13. This includes burglary and many offences of shoplifting, thefts and many breaches of court orders.
"This offence seems to follow a similar pattern of stealing to fund your drug use. The police have been dealing with you for several years. The crime was committed within months of your previous release from custody.
"I acknowledge you have had a difficult life. You have been addicted to drugs, crack cocaine and heroin, from the age of 22 and I accept that this, like much of your offending, was committed to fund that addiction."
He sentenced Gulakow to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered him to carry out a 12 month drug rehabilitation requirement and a probation requirement.
