A POWYS man who stole food ‘so he could eat’ from a Greggs in Newtown was jailed for 14 weeks at Welshpool Magistrates Court.
Mason Cartwright, 22 and of no fixed abode, stole hot chicken pasta pots on two occasions from Greggs in High Street in Newtown on October 4.
He also stole items from Bradley’s Garage in Llanidloes Road, also in Newtown, amounting to £6.99 including a Costa iced latte, a wrap and other items.
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He repeated the same thefts on September 19, also at Bradley’s Garage, costing £6.63.
Cartwright, who was produced from custody at Welshpool Magistrates Court, previously pleaded guilty to the offences last week.
Helen Tench, prosecuting, told the court that Cartwright was seen walking into the garage and placing the items into his hooded top and walking out without paying, an act he repeated at Greggs.
Mrs Tench added that he admitted the offence when he was arrested and officers also identified him on CCTV.
She also told chair of the magistrates' bench, Dr Rachael Jones, that the offences were a second breach of a suspended sentence.
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Gurleen Kaur, defending, told the court that her client stole the items after his Universal Credit was withdrawn after a change of address.
She said that he decided to steal the items ‘as it was the only way he was going to eat’.
Regarding the breaches, Miss Kaur said her client had previously breached his suspended sentence because of a family bereavement, leading to a loss of accommodation and a second breach.
She asked magistrates not to activate his suspended sentence, and instead issue a financial penalty because his actions were ‘not planned and borne out of a need for food’.
However, magistrates decided to send him to jail for three months.
Dr Jones, chair of the bench, said: “We will activate the suspended sentence in full, which is 12 weeks and two weeks for the thefts on September 14 and one week for all others.
“It’s a total of 14 weeks of going inside for you.”
Cartwright was ordered to pay £20 in compensation to Greggs and £13 to Bradleys but a victim surcharge was withdrawn.
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