Man who repeatedly shoplifted in town jailed

A 44-year-old who repeatedly breached his suspended sentence order was sent to prison after he stole some plant bulbs from a supermarket foyer.Martin Fox, of Shiregreen in Lynn, appeared at the town magistrates’ court on Thursday where he was sent to spend four weeks in custody after committing the theft which took place on March 20.Prosecutor Lesla Small said that at 5.15pm, Fox was seen entering the store by a police officer and taking the packet of bulbs, worth £10 and left without paying.

He was arrested by police.By committing this offence, Fox put himself in breach for the third time of a suspended sentence order placed on him in August last year. This sentence was extended twice after he repeatedly shoplifted in August and December last year.In mitigation, Andrew Cogan said: “The difficult thing here is as to why he has been so stupid in front of a police officer who knows him well.“He can’t begin to say why he committed this offence, he gave me no explanation but said he was stupid.”Mr Cogan explained that Fox suffers from a number of physical and mental health problems, including hepatitis and Raynaud’s disease. He tried to persuade magistrates that prison would not be the best way forward for Fox due to the theft being of low value and because of Fox’s health issues.“Prison is a good way of making a bad man worse,” the solicitor said. “It will not be just to activate that sentence.”However, magistrates decided to do exactly that, meaning he would spend four weeks in custody. For the theft, he was given another 14 days in custody, which will run concurrently with his suspended sentence.He will also pay a victim surcharge of £154.