Boston man on licence from prison avoids jail after theft from town store

Luke Newark, 35, of South Terrace, admitted stealing the batteries, valued at £25, from Heron Foods in Wide Bargate on December 15, when he appeared at the town's Magistrates Court.

Mitigating, Philippa Chatterton said Newark was going to be spending Christmas on his own and was 'financially stressed'.

She said he had a 'poor antecedent history' which was linked to his drug addiction but he was no longer an addict following his release from prison in October last year on licence.

She pointed out that he did not try to run off when approached by staff at the store and went back with them into the store to wait for the police.

The Probation Service said he was responding well to the various agencies he was involved with and was attending appointments.

The magistrates told him that he 'appeared to have been using' his time in custody to get off his addiction.

“We don't want to cut off the positive work being done with you but you took the decision to go into the shop and steal,” they told him.

They imposed a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £105 in costs and charges.