Sutton man given second chance after drug relapse sparked shoplifting bid

Philip Humphries put six Stanley Fat Max Tape Rolls, two Magnusson standard socket sets and two 67mm high security padlocks, into his bag, but was stopped at the entrance by security, Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard.

Donna Fawcett, prosecuting, said Humphries, aged 30, opened the front section of his bag and told them there was nothing there, on October 14, last year.

However, when he was asked to open another part of the bag he refused and ran out. He was detained and the goods were recovered.

He was last in court, for assault and theft, on August 16, 2022, and is currently subject to a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and a thinking skills programme.

Humphries, of Jepson Road, admitted theft.

Chris Perry, mitigating, said: “If I can’t persuade you not to send him to prison today then that is how it must end.”

He said, although Humphries has a drug dependency, “from time to time he can be a fully functional, hard-working, tax-paying member of society”.

Mr Perry said: “However, when it goes wrong, it goes horribly wrong,” adding Humphries has “a raft of addictions”, including cocaine, drink and gambling.

He said there was a five-year cessation to all his offending and he had previously been able to detoxify, but when he lost his employment due to lockdown, and was unable to provide for his family, “things began to slide”.

The court heard he has engaged well with the Probation Service, but needs to do more work to conquer his drug problems.

Mr Perry said Humphries wanted the case adjourned because “he says he would rather be clean and sober if he is sent to custody”.

Mr Perry said: “He is not totally dependent. He falls back on drugs when he feels he doesn't have a purpose.”

Magistrates ruled the suspended sentence will continue and gave Humphries a 12-month community order with six rehabilitation days and ordered him to pay £85 costs.