A SHOPLIFTER who stole or tried to steal goods worth more than £3,000 from north Cumbrian supermarkets blamed having his benefits stopped.

Kiearon Lowe, 42, entered guilty pleas to nine theft allegations which involved him targeting shops in Carlisle, Brampton and Penrith as he took or tried to take food, booze and other goods.

The city's Rickergate court heard that the defendant, of Baird Road, Carlisle, committed the offences on dates between May 6 and the first week in November. Lowe admitted:

  • Stealing goods worth £550 from M&S Food Hall at Kingstown, Carlisle on May 6.
  • Attempting to steal alcohol worth £447 from Tesco in Warwick Road, Carlisle, on the same day.
  • Taking garden equipment valued at £80 from Aldi on Petteril Bank Road, Carlisle, on May 10.
  • Stealing alcohol worth £131 from Tesco in Carlisle on August 16.
  • Stealing goods worth £117 from the Co-op in Carlisle on September 18.
  • Attempting to steal goods worth £556 from Tesco on the same day.
  • Stealing meat worth £350 from Brampton Co-op on October 20.
  • Stealing alcohol worth £686 from Booths in Penrith on November 2.
  • And, five days later, stealing groceries worth £400 from Sainsburys in Penrith.

A probation officer who interviewed Lower told magistrates that the thefts were not in any way the result of Lowe returning to the use of illegal drugs.

“These offences were committed because had been sanctioned by the DWP,” said the officer. “He had no money on which to live. He lives with two nephews and wanted to contribute to the household.

“He obviously knows this is not the right way to do that and he had expressed remorse.”

The officer added that there was no appropriate work that needed to be done with the defendant and rehabilitation work was not being proposed. Lowe was, however, capable of doing unpaid work as punishment for his offending.

The presiding magistrate told the defendant: “There must have been a degree of planning. In total, the value [of the goods involved] was over £3,000, as well you know.”

The defendant’s criminal record included 77 previous similar offences, said the magistrate. “This was a total spree of offending, which pushes the whole matter into the custodial threshold.”

Magistrates imposed 18 weeks' custody but suspended the sentence for a year. The sentence includes 100 hours of unpaid work.

Given the defendant’s limited finances, magistrates declined to impose costs but they did order that Lowe should pay compensation of £1,764 to the shops which failed to recover the goods he stole.

The money will be taken at source from Lowe’s benefits, which he said he is now being paid. As he left the dock, the defendant said: “Thank you. I won‘t be back.”

The defendant's benefits were sanctioned by DWP officials after he missed an appointment with DWP officials.