A 37-year-old man with 386 offences on his record has appeared in court twice in four days for shop thefts. Jamie Brown, of Rosalind Street, Ashington, pleaded guilty to three counts of stealing goods from the Co-op in Bedlington, totalling £144.55.
Three thefts in one day
Clare Haswell, prosecuting at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court, said Brown targeted the store three times on October 6, three days after his last court appearance. On each occasion, he took a carrier bag and filled it with meat and laundry products before leaving without paying.
Haswell noted that Brown has 386 offences on his record, including 230 for theft.
Adjourned for sentencing
Graham Crouth, defending, said Brown was due to be sentenced later this month for further shoplifting matters and asked for the case to be adjourned to link up with those. Magistrates agreed and released Brown on conditional bail, prohibiting him from entering any Co-op stores, to return to the same court on October 15.
Brown was released from prison in August this year. During a hearing in July, his solicitor told magistrates: "I'm told he will have accommodation when he is released and Mr Brown wants to start making changes to his life."
