Drug-dazed Sutton shoplifter 'didn't know what he was doing'

Jamie Betts took £50 of razor blades from Boots, in the Four Seasons shopping centre, Mansfield, on August 22, but was stopped outside.

The 39-year-old, of Jubilee Road, admitted theft when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Friday.

Michael Little, mitigating, said there had been in a “significant gap” in Betts’ offending after he quit Class A drugs and changed his lifestyle.

“He cut out all the bad influences and kept out of trouble for four and half years,” Mr Little said.

But painful abscesses on his legs, and the reluctance of his doctor to prescribe strong painkillers because of his past dishonesty, had led Betts to take Xanax, Pregabalin and Diazepam.

“On that day he took all three. He says - “I didn’t know what I was doing on that day.”” Mr Little added.

Betts was given a 12 month conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 government surcharge.