Shop-man man stole booze - court

1:00am Thursday 15th May 2008

A MAN who entered a shop he had been banned from and stole a crate of beer has appeared before Worcester magistrates.

Ben Keeley, 22, was recognised by a member of staff when he entered the store he had previously been banned from.

Prosecuting, Gemma Goode said the female asked Keeley to leave several times but he would not go, so the supervisor was called.

Miss Goode said when asked again to go he refused and when she went to call the police, he stole the alcohol.

"He picked up a pallet of Carling Black Label. When her back was turned as she called the police he ran out of the store with the lager," she said.

When questioned by police, he said he had taken the lager, which cost £16.50, as he knew it was on special offer but he would not be served at the store.

He drank it that evening.

Keeley, of Glenthorne Avenue, Tolladine, admitted the charge of shoplifting from the store, along with breaching two conditional discharges, relating to incidents last summer of assaulting his sister and criminal damage at his family home.

In mitigation, Emma Smith said Keeley was getting very disolusioned with life as he had been trying to get a job without success.

"He has had quite a lot of time on his hands and has been drinking more heavily," she said, adding: "He now knows that he needs to get his life back on track."

Miss Smith added he had now been reconciled with his family.

Chair of the magistrates Sue Jones gave Keeley a community order for 12 months with unpaid work for 40 hours, and he was given an electronic tag with a curfew from 7pm until 7am for six weeks.

He was also ordered to pay a total of £36.50 in compensation and costs.

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