Mansfield shoplifter ignored help and stole to feed £100 per day drug habit

Hayden Wright stole £1,476 of skin care products from Boots and £130 of whisky from Sainsbury's, on July 2, prosecutor Lucki Thandi told Nottingham Crown Court.

He struck six more times, taking another £750 of skin care products, nearly £230 of headphones and airpods, as well as blonde hair products, fabric conditioner and £55 of Nutella.

He was eventually arrested after being identified on CCTV as he walked out of B&M Bargains without paying for 14 airpods worth £168.

The court heard he has 22 previous convictions for 29 offences, nine of which are for theft, and was released from four months in custody in June.

Chris Brewin, mitigating, said: “In the past he has demonstrated aggression to those who are trying to help him.

“When he was offered a drug rehabilitation requirement in June he refused it.

"He was homeless and bouncing between Worksop, Mansfield and Derby and not in a very good place. He wasn't just sticking his thumb to his nose.”

Since Wright has been in custody he has been put on a Methadone programme which “he feels is the game changer,” Mr Brewin said.

Wright, aged 28, of Lindley Street, Mansfield, admitted eight thefts, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistates Court, on July 12.

On Tuesday, Recorder Simon Eckersley told him: “In my view you’re your own worst enemy because you failed to use the support network available to you.

“And worse, you deliberately stopped taking Methadone - which immediately led you to going back to using illegal drugs and up to £100 of those drugs per day which could only be funded by offending.

“Sometimes people need to be mature enough to realise they don't know it all and they need to take control of their responsibilities.

“These eight crimes are not victimless. You have caused the companies significant financial loss. It puts up prices for lawful people.”

On Tuesday, he handed Wright an eight-month prison term, suspended for two years, with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and 20 rehabilitation days.