by Staff Reporter

Last updated at 11:32, Saturday, 28 June 2008

A thief who stole from a pensioner in Carlisle library has been jailed.

Richard McHenry, of Carlisle: Admitted two charges of theft and two of fraud and was jailed for 15 months. The court heard he had 56 previous convictions going back to 1992

Richard McHenry, 37, of Welsh Road, Harraby, appeared before Carlisle Crown Court for sentence yesterday, after two incidents of theft in the library in the Lanes.

The court heard that McHenry had 56 previous convictions going back to 1992, including similar incidents in the same library.

Kim Whittlestone, prosecuting, told the court that pensioner Frank Fletcher was using the library on April 9 this year, and had hung his jacket, with his wallet in the pocket, on the back of a chair.

McHenry took the wallet, containing a bank card and £50 in cash, out of his pocket, then withdrew £250 from the Cumberland Building Society in Fisher Street.

On April 14, McHenry returned to the library, and took a purse, containing bank cards, out of student Louise Hutchinson’s handbag while she was distracted by her young son. Using her cards, he then withdrew £300 from the same building society branch.

He was seen on CCTV cameras on both occasions.

McHenry denied the acts until the day his trial was due to begin, when he pleaded guilty to two charges of theft, and two of fraud.

Alison Whalley, mitigating, said McHenry had now cleared his head after giving up cannabis.

McHenry asked that two similar incidents be taken into consideration.

Sentencing McHenry to 15 months in jail, Recorder Roderick Carus said: “The only sentence that is proper here, out of respect for the people you have robbed, is one of immediate custody.

“Because I form the view that you are probably going to commit further offences, if I had the power I would lock you away for a long time to protect the public.”

First published at 09:20, Saturday, 28 June 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk