A NORTH Carlisle man walked out of Morrisons supermarket with goods worth almost £1,500 without making any attempt to pay.

At the city’s Rickergate Magistrates’Court, 32-year-old Nicky Maxwell pleaded guilty to that theft and a second similar offence at the same store – though on that occasion stolen goods worth £729 were recovered.

Prosecutor Peter Bardsley said the first offence happened on February 19. Security staff at the store saw the defendant arrive at the store at 1pm but kept a close eye on him because they recognised him and knew his offending history.

He had stolen from the store previously.

Maxwell was seen putting various items into a shopping basket, including razors, clothing and spirits. As he tried to leave the store without paying, the shop’s alarms sounded and Maxwell blamed this on a nearby elderly lady.

He had by this stage dumped his shopping basket.

“He said that he hadn’t got anything on him but when the security staff took hold of him items fell from his jacket and he ran away,” said Mr Bardsley. All the stolen items were recovered, said the lawyer.

The defendant committed the next offence five days later, on February 24. CCTV images recorded how he went into the store, and filled a shopping trolley with goods worth £1,439 and simply walked out, making no attempt to pay.

He was interviewed on March 25 and admitted going to the store on both occasions with the intention of stealing. He said he had no money and he had no intention of paying for the goods that he took.

“He said he was shoplifting to sell items so he could buy food,” said Mr Bardsley. The lawyer said the prosecution wanted to impose a criminal behaviour order on Maxwell to ban him from major Carlisle stores, including Morrisons and Tesco.

Steven Marsh, defending, said the defendant, of Burtholme Avenue, Carlisle, was released from jail in June, 2020 after serving a sentence for a wounding offence two years earlier. His most recent conviction for theft was in 2009.

After his release, he initially worked as a civil engineer, but that work came to an end in June of last year. “Following that, he came back to this area and lived with his family,” said Mr Marsh.

But Maxwell then suffered bereavements – the loss of his father and grandfather and he developed anxiety and depression. He also had post-traumatic stress, said Mr Marsh. He was then unable to continue staying with his family member.

“He effectively became homeless and was on the streets,” said Mr Marsh.

Without any money or benefits, he turned to shoplifting to pay for food. But since that time his situation had improved, said the lawyer. He had stopped taking Valium and he was now able to live with a relative.

He was willing to work with the Probation Service to ensure that he can in the future avoid such patterns of behaviour, added the lawyer.

A Probation Service worker in court who interviewed Maxwell said the defendant had struggled with his mental health and while alcohol did not play a part in the offences before the court, he has had past issues with it.

Magistrates imposed a one-year community order with 20 rehabilitation activity days and a 60-day tagged alcohol abstinence order. Given that the defendant is on benefits, which gave him a monthly income of just £280, they declined to make any order for costs or a victim surcharge.

Maxwell was told he must pay compensation to Morrisons of £1,439. Magistrates added that they felt a criminal behaviour was not appropriate, given the amount of offending involved.

But the presiding magistrate gave the defendant this caution: "If you carry on pinching, you will end up either in prison or on a criminal behaviour order." The defendant thanked magistrates as he left the court.