Friday. 2pm: THIS was not just theft; this was a Marks and Spencer's theft.
An unemployed Boston man stole meat valued at £69.71 from Marks and Spencer's in the Market Place, as part of a brace of food-based thefts in the town.
Boston Magistrates' Court was told on Wednesday that Robert Kent Smith, 34, who lives in a cara
van in South Terrace, also stole meat to the value of £13.96 from the Co-op, in West Street, on the same day.
Smith pleaded guilty to the thefts on April 2, as well as an earlier theft of a generator valued at £79.99 from Aldi, in Queen Street, from March 15.
Rebecca Ritson, prosecuting, revealed to the court that Smith had 18 previous convictions for theft.
In mitigation, John Storer told the court that the defendant was released from prison around March of last year, and has effectively been homeless ever since.
"He struggles to make do, and struggles to stay out of trouble, but has done his best," he said.
Mr Storer told the court that his client – who claims Jobseeker's Allowance – had saved enough money to buy a caravan, but did not have access to running water or electricity.
As such, the generator was stolen to provide electricity to the caravan, and the meat to eat, he added.
Smith received a community order for 12 months, a supervision order for 12 months, and ordered to attend an enhanced thinking skills programme.
The full article contains 250 words and appears in Boston Standard newspaper.
