Tattershall man stole coffee machine, tried to escape on bicycle and crashed into car

Luke Newark, 40, of Walcott Bank, Tattershall Bridge, who admitted theft when he appeared at Boston Magistrates Court, was seen stealing the machine from Lidl supermarket at 11am on October 9 and was pursued out of the store by staff.

It was said he got onto his bicycle but crashed into a car as he was being chased by store staff and was detained.

He told police he was going to sell it.

Mitigating, Phillipa Chatterton said Newark, who had a shoplifting conviction in 2021, had a history of drug abuse.

She said he had not been able to get his methadone prescription on the day as the pharmacy had been closed because of the Queen's funeral.

His prescription had been cancelled and he had to wait about five weeks for a new one and so had stolen the coffee machine to sell to buy drugs, she said.

Newark was ordered to pay a stand alone compensation order of £80.