Dale Wood stole four Pandora bracelets from his mother's home in Newcastle and pawned them for £405 to fund his drug addiction, a court has heard. The 33-year-old, of Sidney Grove in Arthur's Hill, pleaded guilty to one count of theft at Newcastle Magistrates' Court this week.
Theft from mother's home
Prosecutor Stephen Davies told the court that Wood visited his mother's home on March 11 this year, where they discussed money. After he left, the victim discovered four Pandora bracelets were missing and contacted the police.
Officers quickly traced the items to pawnbrokers in Newcastle, where Wood had sold them for £405. The bracelets have since been recovered, and the pawnbrokers paid Wood £405 for the items.
Court hearing and background
The court heard that Wood's mother claimed the jewellery had been worth between £3,000 and £4,000. Magistrates were told that Wood had previous convictions and was last in court in July for theft.
Defending, Brogan Shirreffs said Wood had been in the throes of drug addiction at the time of the offence. She said: "He accepts that it's shameful behaviour. It was an impulsive decision he made while in addiction. Those are issues he no longer has. He is now in secure accommodation. He was homeless at the time and reliant on drugs."
Sentence and compensation
Wood was fined £80 and ordered to pay £405 compensation and a £32 victim surcharge. The case concluded with these financial penalties, reflecting the recovery of the stolen items and Wood's current circumstances.
