Chesterfield shoplifter’s last warning

A serial criminal has been given a “last chance” to stop offending after he stole DVDs from a Boots store.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Monday how Robert Rawson, 19, of Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield, stole three DVDs valued at £29.97 from the store and went on to damage an electronic pen at a police custody suite.

John Cooper, prosecuting, said: “He entered a Boots and a security guard monitored him at a DVD stand and saw him place DVDs inside his jacket and leave the store making no attempt to pay. He said he had no intention of stealing but the DVDs were new releases and he thought he could sell them.”.

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Mr Cooper added that Rawson became angry at the police custody suite and stretched the wire on an electronic pen and rammed it into a mounting.

Rawson, who has previous convictions for shop lifting, pleaded guilty to stealing the DVDs and damaging the pen after the incident on August 30.

The defendant agreed that he committed the offences while he was subject to a conditional discharge for failing to obey a dispersal order.

Defence solicitor Steve Brint said Rawson has 17 convictions relating to 43 offences but explained the defendant has had a difficult upbringing after being in care and living in many different places.

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Mr Brint added Rawson has also been addicted to legal and illegal illicit substances and committed his latest offence to fund a legal high.

Magistrates said they were willing to give him “one last chance”.

Rawson was sentenced to a four-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

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