Jail for Mansfield store trickster

A Mansfield man who removed security tags from items and then demanded a refund from the store has been jailed.
News from the courtsNews from the courts
News from the courts

Scott Walker spent some of the £15 refund on food, at the store on Stockwell Gate, at 6pm, on February 28, but was recognised and detained when he returned three days later.

Walker, 44, of Simpson Road, admitted fraud by false representation when he appeared before magistrates in Mansfield on Thursday.

He also admitted breaching a suspended sentence for eight weeks, which was imposed in January.

Mark Stocks, mitigating, said the rate of his offending had recently slowed.

“Prior to 2015 he was appearing before the courts fairly regularly for low level offences of dishonesty,” he said.

“Whatever problems there were all appear to be resolved.”

Isobel Peach, of the probation service, said drugs were at the root of Walker’s offending in January.

He was on a methadone script, she said, but it was doubtful if he was motivated enough for a drug rehabilitation programme.

Magistrates saw “no reason not to activate the suspended sentence” and added an extra week for the latest offence.

Walker was ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge.

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