A WOULD-BE thief from Swindon has been jailed for six months after being caught shoplifting.
Dwain Stratford, of Beech Avenue, activated a suspended sentence by committing another crime during his suspension period.
The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to attempted theft and criminal damage.
The charges relate to an eventful few days in Newport's Spytty Retail Park, where he tried to steal a £439 Smart TV and another Smart TV of unknown value from Tesco then damaged a shopping trolley on October 25 before going back on October 27 and trying to steal a £399 Smart TV from Tesco.
The court records state that this record of previous offending, the fact that these latest crimes were committed during a suspended sentence period and while Stratford was subject to a community order, and the criminal's "flagrant disregard for court orders" made his sentencing more severe.
The crime for which he had originally received a suspended prison sentence involved five thefts from shops which were carried out on July 21 2021, April 7 2021, August 5 2020, September 25 2019, and May 30 2019,
He must pay £128 to victim services.
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