Carlisle shoplifter's 'extraordinary' river bid to escape capture

But the “extraordinary” efforts of repeat shoplifter Brady Wilson, 31, to evade capture after the latest in a spate of shop thefts came to nothing when a posse of pursuing police officers caught up with him as he stumbled onto a train track.

At the city’s Rickergate Magistrates Court, there was nowhere to hide as magistrates told him he deserved jail.

George Shelley, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's most recent shoplifting offences - all committed since mid-October.

The most dramatic was a theft from Carlisle’s House of Fraser store on January 8, when Wilson stole a Hugo Boss jacket worth £279.

Theft: The defendant fled after stealing a Hugo Boss jacket from this store in Carlisle city centre.

Describing what happened after the defendant left the store without paying, Mr Shelley said Wilson – being pursued by the police – first ran on to a train track, and disappeared into some bushes.

He was eventually cornered next to the River Eden.

“But he took extraordinary measures to evade capture,” said the lawyer.

“Mr Wilson jumped into the river and attempted to swim away from the police. He swam for half a mile downstream into Bitts Park.”

Once there, the defendant clambered on to dry land and stood on another train track.

“Multiple” police and ambulance staff were involved in the effort to bring the pursuit to a safe conclusion, said Mr Shelley.

Wilson was arrested at the scene, though the stolen Hugo Boss jacket was drenched and ruined.

Mr Shelley also outlined the defendant’s earlier thefts.

On October 15 last year, Wilson stole a pressure-washer from the city’s B&Q store. Police recovered it as they stopped a car in which the defendant was travelling. He told the officers: “I’m skint on Universal Credit.”

He added that he had broken his father’s pressure-washer and needed to replace it.

Wilson also admitted stealing a jacket worth £75 from JD Sports in The Lanes shopping centre on December 17 and two charges of stealing from cars on Boxing Day - a HP laptop from one car and a sat-nav from another.

In November last year, Wilson was given a community order and a curfew for three earlier shop thefts. He admitted all the thefts.

Jeff Smith, defending, said the root of Wilson’s offending was a break-down in his mental health, linked to the death of his mother.

He also had drug and alcohol issues.

“His drug use is now receding,” said Mr Smith.

“But he still uses alcohol… Only two days ago, he was in a local river in January and running the risk of losing his life.”

Helping Wilson in the community would produce more long-term success than simply locking him up, said Mr Smith.

He added: “I think we’d all agree that [prison] is probably the wrong place for somebody with serious psychiatric problems.”

A Probation Service official in court said Wilson, of Caslin Way, Morton, had shown no of motivation to engage positively to address his problems.

Passing sentence, magistrates said there were no signs of Wilson being committed to change his ways.

They jailed him for 80 days.

He must on release pay compensation of £279 to the House of Fraser, but there was no order for costs given Wilson’s lack of means.