Ollerton man stole paint sets to pay for drugs

A 37-year-old Ollerton man was avoided jail after admitting carrying out thefts in two Mansfield stores.

Mansfield magistrates were told how Lee Swain stole £5 worth of food from Forest Road’s Cooperative store and two paint sets to the value of £72, belonging to Boyes Store, also on Forest Road

Swain, of Whinney Lane, was caught on CCTV on both occasions. The items were not recovered.

The court was told how Swain has eaten the food items and had sold the paint sets for £20 to buy drugs.

A prosecutor said Swain was a habitual user of the drug MCAT and had a long history of dishonesty going back to 1999.

He was convicted of burglary in Spain in 2012 and his last conviction was in June 2013.

Ian Pridham, defending, said: “He admitted both offences at the police station and had co-operated.

“He went abroad to Spain to find work but fell back into stealing after the work dried up. He does still want to find a job.”

Swain was given an eight-week jail term, suspended for six months. He was also ordered to pay £77 compensation and £85 costs.

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