Suspended sentence for prolific Doncaster shoplifter who stole to fund heroin habit

A man who broke into a Doncaster warehouse, before embarking on a shoplifting spree to fund his heroin habit, has been given a suspended prison sentence.
A man who broke into a Doncaster warehouse, before embarking on a shoplifting spree to fund his heroin habit, has been given a suspended prison sentence.A man who broke into a Doncaster warehouse, before embarking on a shoplifting spree to fund his heroin habit, has been given a suspended prison sentence.
A man who broke into a Doncaster warehouse, before embarking on a shoplifting spree to fund his heroin habit, has been given a suspended prison sentence.

During a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court today, prosecutor Neil Coxon described how Dean Doran broke into the Furniture Barn on the Shaw Lane Industrial Estate on Ogden Road, Wheatley between October 1 and 2 last year.

Mr Coxon said: "A brick was used, entry was gained. He left some blood that was later traced back to the defendant.

"He stole a lamp valued at £229."

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Following the break-in at Furniture Barn, Doran then stole hundreds of pounds worth of goods from stores at the Wheatley Hall Retail Centre during three separate incidents in December 2017.

On December 8, the 40-year-old stole several bottles of perfume, valued at £550, from Boots.

He returned to the store again on December 11, when he stole perfume again. The amount stolen by Doran on this occasion was valued at £620.

Then, on December 19, Doran stole five pairs of jeans worth £278 from Matalan.

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"The defendant was subsequently arrested and interviewed on December 20. He made full and frank admissions to all of the offences," added Mr Coxon.

Doran, who previously been convicted of 91 offences, including 25 accounts of shoplifting, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary and three counts of theft at an earlier hearing. He admitted to a further two counts of shoplifting during today's sentencing.

Defending, Michael Cane-Soothill, told the court that Doran had got himself into a 'good place' after completing a suspended sentence order in August of last year.

He said Doran had come off heroin and was being prescribed methadone. And due to the prospect of gaining employment in a role that required regular drug testing, which includes a test for methadone, he came off the drug completely.

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"He was too over ambitious," said Mr Cane-Soothill, adding: "He struggled without the methadone, and ended up taking heroin again. That's the background for how he came to commit this, if I can use the word, spree of offences in Doncaster."

Recorder Nicholas Lumley QC sentenced Doran to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.