Shoplifter jailed

COURT: Persistent shoplifter Gareth Fanning was jailed for 48 weeks because he repeatedly stole while on licence from prison.

Swindon magistrates heard the 32-year-old of Frobisher Drive, Walcot, kept committing offences to fund his drug habit. He pleaded guilty to stealing £70-worth of toys from Homesense on March 14, property valued at £80 from Kingshill Service Station on May 24, goods valued at £30 from the Entertainer on May 25 and garments worth £72 from Primark on June 1.

Child support

COURT: A father who failed to pay child support has been banned from driving for two years unless he complies with an order to catch up with a backlog of payments. The man from Park South owed arrears and costs totalling £2,685, Swindon Magistrates Court heard. The bench decided he had reckless disregard for the order but the defendant explained he did not have access to the children. He had bought items for one of the children and made offers of payment.

Parents fined

COURT: Parents of a child who failed to attend primary school in Swindon regularly between October 31 and November 11 last year were fined a total of £880 by the town’s magistrates.The case was proved in their absence and the pair, whose child cannot be identified, were ordered to pay costs and victim surcharges totalling £134 each.

Epilator stolen

COURT: Kelly Croft was handed a 12-week suspended prison sentence after she admitted stealing a £130 epilator from Boots and £72-worth of perfume while she was on a community order for four similar theft offences. She was also told to undergo drug treatment as part of the 18-month order and pay £130 compensation.