A 36-year-old man previously living in Whitehaven has appeared by a video-link from prison and pleaded guilty to two-shop thefts, when the charges were put to him at North and West Cumbria Magistrates Court in Carlisle.
The court was told how Edward Christopher Hewer went into the B&M Bargains store in Carlisle on March 22 and stole electronic vapour liquid and alcohol costing £25.51, the stores CCTV recorded him putting the items in a bag and leaving the store, he was later arrested, the goods were retuned to the store unused said prosecutor Peter Bardsley.
The second offence took place at the Argos store in Whitehaven on July 6, when he stole a watch valued at £10 from a display cabinet, and left without paying, when police arrested him Hewer said, he went with intention to steal as he was hard-up, he had sold the watch for £5 to somebody else to buy drugs for himself.
The magistrates were then told Hewer struggles with a heroin habit, he has prescription to get him off drugs, but there had been a mix-up with a methadone prescription, so he stole the watch to sell on and buy drugs.
He was on an “even keel” before these thefts and taking his prescribed medicine said his lawyer Gail Heard.
On passing sentence the presiding magistrate said “Hewer has a shocking criminal record, with 22-previous similar offences, he is a “prolific offender” he was given 14-days in prison on each offence to run concurrent, he has to pay £10 compensation to Argos and a victims surcharge of £115.
