A CHEESE thief has been told he faces being jailed if he continues to offend after he was spared being sent to prison for two thefts within 12 hours of each other.

Robert Gillespie pleaded guilty to the two thefts from Esso on Dorcan Way that were carried out late on June 19 and the following morning when he came before magistrates sitting in Swindon on Monday morning.

He also admitted breaching a three month prison sentence which magistrates suspended for 12 months on May 5 in punishment for a burglary. He has a record of more than 80 offences, of which around 40 are theft-related.

Crown Prosecutor Keith Ballinger told the court that 45-year-old Gillespie had been spotted by staff at the garage at around 9.30pm on June 19 putting cheese and coffee into a bag. When they challenged him he dumped some of the items on the floor and left.

“The following morning at around 9.20am he returned and stole cheese and sausages which he concealed in his jacket,” said Mr Ballinger.

Gillepsie, of Tudor Walk, Walcot, was not arrested for the offences until Sunday as he left the area to visit a friend but returned as he did not want the offences hanging over him.

His defence, Gordon Hotson, told the magistrates that at the time of the offence Gillespie was short of cash and had stolen the items for consumption, not to be sold on to fuel a drug addiction.

He added that his client was now no longer drug or alcohol dependant.

“There has in recent times been a huge degree of progress made,” he said.

“It was his intention to come back to Swindon after being with friends in the Midlands and come clean, he didn’t want this hanging over him.”

He argued that activating Gillespie’s prison sentence would undo the good work he had already completed and he would find himself once again without any funds upon release from prison as he would have to wait for his benefits to be restarted.

Chairman of the bench Lady Anna Pitt told him: “You are more than aware that you are presently subject to a suspended sentence order and when the sentence was made you were told that if you broke a requirement or committed another offence you could expect that it would be activated.

“We have had to look very carefully if we are not going to do that we have to decide why we are not going to do that. The reasons that have been put forward in your favour are that you are drug and alcohol free, you have a stable address, you have been compliant on your community order and you pleaded guilty to the offences at the earliest opportunity.

“Just because we are not activating it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t warrant it. If you are back here again for any reason you can expect that sentence to be activated.”

She imposed a 12-hour curfew between 7pm and 7am for the next 14 days and ordered he pay £20 compensation to Esso. He must also pay £40 Crown Prosecution Service costs and a £30 victim surcharge.