By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 11:58, Saturday, 09 March 2013

A man has appeared in court for his one hundredth criminal conviction.

Brian Brand, 34, had what Judge Paul Batty QC described as “a quite appalling” criminal record for someone of his age.

At Carlisle Crown Court, he admitted stealing five bottles each of shampoo and conditioner from McColl’s store in Blackwell Road in the Currock area of the city on October 18.

The court heard that, because he had been high on drink and Valium at the time, he could not remember doling it, but he accepted it was him when he saw the pictures from the shop’s security camera.

He was granted bail after appearing before magistrates for that offence but less than a fortnight later he struck elsewhere in Carlisle – at Morrisons, Scotland Road – where he was caught walking out with two one-litre bottles of vodka, one of which he dropped, and one of rum. The day after that he returned to the same store, where he was seen removing the security caps from more bottles of spirits.

He later explained to police that his benefits had been stopped so he had to get money somehow to pay his mother for his keep.

Prosecutor Alan Lovett told the court Brand committed both offences while he was under a suspended sentence for two earlier offences – stealing £800-worth of golf clubs from a lock-up garage in Stanwix and stealing tools from a van in Rosebery Road.

After being arrested for those offences Brand told police he could not remember much because he had been out drinking.

Defence barrister Alison Whalley admitted that Brand – who pleaded guilty to theft – posed a “high risk of reoffending”.

Brand, of Blackwell Close, Carlisle, was jailed for four months, and also ordered to serve four months of the sentence previously suspended.

First published at 11:15, Saturday, 09 March 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk