Sutton drug addict stole £50 of meat from Asda

A Sutton man with a '˜significant' drug problem stole £50 of meat from Asda because he was struggling for money, a court has heard.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.Mansfield Magistrates Court.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.

Richard Talbot, 29, of Mansfield Road, admitted stealing joints of meat from the Priestic Road store on July 19 and 20.

Mansfield magistrates heard he was jailed in December for theft, but had not committed any offences since his release in February.

Yvonne Wragg, mitigating, said: “This is a young man who has had a significant heroin problem over many years.

“He tells me that he has been struggling for money. So that is why he stole those items. He thought it was a way of him being able to survive.

“He chose the easy option.”

The thefts put Talbot in breach of a post-sentence supervision order.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with a ten day rehabilitation requirement. He was also given a three month curfew from 7pm to 7am and ordered to pay £50 compensation.

Magistrates heard he owes the court £1001 in fines and costs.

Mrs Wragg said: “He would like to apologise. He hasn’t been paying. He tells me he has been trying to get his life sorted and has suffered withdrawal symptoms from coming off heroin.”

He was ordered to pay his court bill at £10 a week which will be deducted from his benefits.

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