Kirkby sherry thief set to make a new start

Stephen Miles took the items, worth £46, from the Castlewood service station, in Sutton, on January 18.

Magistrates heard he committed the offence days before he appeared in court for shoplifting, when he received a suspended sentence.

Deborah Bell, mitigating, said he had "quite a considerable record of offending" due to a "longstanding addiction to heroin".

She said he hadn't committed any new thefts since January, was now clean of illegal drugs, and was making progress in his life by re-training to find work as fork-lift truck driver.

Miles, 36, of Ashfield Drive, admitted the theft, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Friday.

He was order to pay compensation to the store, which will be added to the £2,649 he owes the court.