A THEFT from Debenhams that saw a man make off with more than £1,000-worth of Levi jeans has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Mark Thirkettle, who was described as well-known to the courts, also pleaded guilty to a further charge of stealing from Go Outdoors two days after he made his quick get-away from Debenhams on a bicycle on Saturday, June 25.

The 43-year-old, currently of Hertford Close, but formerly of County Road came before magistrates sitting in Swindon on Wednesday where he entered guilty pleas to both charges.

Nick Barr, prosecuting, told the magistrates that staff members at Debenhams had noticed a number of pairs of Levi jeans were missing and when they reviewed the CCTV they saw Thirkettle and another man arrive on bicycles, enter the store and steal the jeans before making their getaway on their bicycles again.

The stolen jeans had a value of £1,040.

Two days later, on Monday, Thirkettle was with two other men who went into Cotswold Outdoor at the Mannington Retail Park and put a number of items in a bag. When they were approached by an employee and asked if they were going to pay for the items they left the bag and left the store.

When he was interviewed by the police he made a no-comment interview.

Defending him, Mark Glendenning told the magistrates that his client was well known to the courts.

“The vast majority of his offences are related to theft in one way or another,” he said.

“He has battled with drugs and alcohol and recently had a prison sentence.

"He came out clean but has started again. He would like help with that.

"He has been assessed and found to be suitable for a drug rehabilitation programme. These things can’t be turned off, it takes time.”

After retiring to consider their verdict, the magistrates told him they would be imposing a custodial sentence on him.

“We are going to send you to prison for a total of 18 weeks for each offence,” said chairman of the bench Paul Sample.

“We are giving you credit for your early guilty pleas and will reduce that from 18 weeks to 12 weeks. You will serve a total of 24 weeks in prison.

“However, that sentence will be suspended on the condition that you are not convicted of another offence in the next 12 months.”

He must also pay £520 in compensation to Debenhams and a victim surcharge of £140 which the magistrates consolidated with outstanding compensation orders totalling £2,770.80.

  • Thirkettle stole a stall's cash collection box at the Christmas lights switch-on at Royal Wootton Bassett on December 5, 2014, and assaulted two off-duty police officers. 

In November that year Thirkettle stole fragrances from Asda and meat from the Angel Hotel worth hundreds of pounds.

He received a 24-week sentence suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to pay compensation of £50 to each of the officers and £236.96 to the Angel Hotel.