Crack-addicted thief went on £2200 South Tyneside stealing spree

Liam Murphy, 20, is starting 26 weeks behind bars for his targeting of outlets in Sunderland, South Tyneside and Washington.

The crack cocaine user, of Blind Lane, New Silksworth, took particular aim at his local Tesco Express, pinching from it at least five times.

He also struck twice at the Co-op at Whitburn and stole from branches of Heron Foods, Poundland and Asda at the Galleries, Washington, 

Murphy pleaded guilty to six counts of theft from a shop and asked for another 14 such offences to be taken into consideration.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard Murphy struck at Tesco Express at New Silksworth three times between Wednesday, April 10, and Sunday, May 12.

In his first raid, he took detergents valued at £120, followed by £250 of meat and detergents, and then £150 of chocolate.

While on bail for those crimes, he swiped £150 of domestic goods from the same outlet on Monday, May 27.

He returned on Saturday, June 9, taking £200 of items, before rounding off his spree with £250 of food products from Co-op in Mill Lane, Whitburn.

Murphy’s offences to be taken into consideration were the theft of £559 of goods from the same Co-op store, and £50 from a One Stop outlet.

There was also a £193 theft from a Tesco Express, £65 from a Heron Foods branch, £100 from a Poundland, and a raid at Asda at the Galleries.

Prosecutor Carolyn Craggs told District Judge Zoe Passfield: “You may believe that this has crossed the custody threshold. There’s been some degree of planning involved.”

Tom Morgan, defending, said Murphy had endured two bereavements as a child and described him as not having had “the easiest paper round”.

Mr Morgan added: “He has an entrenched addiction to drugs, Crack cocaine is the main issue.

“These were inquisitive offences of the type linked to class A drugs, in my experience.

“There appears to me to be a clear motivation to deal with this crack addiction.”

Judge Passfield jailed Murphy for 16 weeks for a batch of four thefts from Tesco and to 26 weeks for the two remaining offences, to run concurrently.

He must pay a £154 victim surcharge but no compensation because of his high existing debt to the courts from previous offending.