Serial offender is caught shoplifting

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on May 2 how Steven Barthorpe, 36, of Gibbons Lane, Thorne, in Doncaster, stole £3 worth of chocolate from Poundland, on Middle Pavement, in Chesterfield.

Prosecuting solicitor Sam Matkin said: “A member of the public witnessed the defendant placing food items in a bag at Poundland and leaving the store without paying.

“Witnesses called the police and they arrived and identified the defendant, and the food - which was valued at £3 and which was on his person - could not be accounted for and the property was identified as belonging to Poundland.”

The court heard how Barthorpe has 25 previous convictions for 49 offences including 16 for theft from 1996 to 2016.

Barthorpe pleaded guilty to the theft which happened on April 16.

He also admitted committing the offence while he was still subject to a 12 month conditional discharge for a previous theft.

Defence solicitor Kirsty Sargent explained that Barthrope is from Chesterfield and has drug issues and he had returned for a family engagement and he met people who he used to socialise with and relapsed and took something.

She added: “This led to him going to a store and it was unsophisticated and he picked up an item and put it under his coat and it was chocolate and he would have eaten this himself.”

Magistrates sentenced Barthorpe to another 12 month conditional discharge to run concurrently to his existing conditional discharge.

He was also ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge and £3 compensation.