Wyberton man stole food and drink worth £600-plus (incuding more than £400 of chocolate) over month

Trafford Dixon, 23, of Causeway, committed the offences in Woodville Road and Skirbeck Road.

Chocolate was a repeated target for Dixon, the town’s magistrates’ court was told on Wednesday.

On November 29, he took chocolate and a drink to the value of £50. On November 27, he stole chocolate to the value of £78.50 across two incidents at the same store, including £44s worth of Toblerone bars.

On November 24, the value of the chocolate stolen was £75; on November 11, it was £90.10.

On November 2, he swiped two full cases of Cadbury’s chocolate and other bars worth a total of £170.

In addition to these offences, on November 17 he stole meat products totalling £65.20 and on November 6 he took cheese worth £105.

The court was told that CCTV showed the offences and Dixon was identified by staff members.

Dixon pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft between October 29 and November 27.

Dab Naghen, mitigating, said his client was homeless at the time of the offences and stole the items to sell on and pay for takeaway food.

Following his arrest, Dixon arranged to go and live with his mother, the court was told.

“Life is looking a lot better for him now,” added Mr Naghen.

Dixon was given 100 hours’ unpaid work as part of a 12 month Community Order. He was told to pay £633.80 compensation to Lincolnshire Co-op and £199 in costs and victim surcharge.