A Milford man on his way to a house party, who stole a box of beers from a supermarket store in Pembroke Dock and then returned the same day to steal another box, has been fined in court.
Twenty-six-year-old Jamie Rawlinson, of St. Peters Road, pleaded guilty to stealing two crates of Budweiser, to the value of £24 from Asda in Pembroke Dock, when he appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Ellie Morgan told the court that on December 12, shortly after 4 pm, a staff member at the Asda store was made aware of a box of Budweiser beer that had been taken from the store. CCTV was viewed and the police were contacted.
Later on, at 6.40 pm, the same male seen on the CCTV entered the store again and did exactly the same thing in taking another box of the beers.
“Police officers recognised the defendant from the CCTV video and went around to his property to speak to him.
“Mr. Rawlinson said that he was sorry for doing it. There was one box emptied, whilst the other had been opened. The defendant has already returned to the store to pay back the £24 that the boxes cost, so there is no claim for compensation,” said Ms Morgan, adding that Mr. Rawlinson had 11 previous thefts on record.
Defence solicitor Mark Layton told the court that his client was currently subject to a suspended sentence from the Inner London Crown Court for drugs offences.
“These offences are of a completely different nature. Mr. Rawlinson is not a big drinker, but he was going to a friend’s party and felt obliged to take some alcohol with him,” he said.
Magistrates fined the defendant £40 for the offence and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.
“It was a silly thing to do, but at least you went back to the store to pay them back afterwards,” chief magistrate David Simpson told the defendant.
“It was nice that you thought to take a gift with you to the party - but in future, go alone!” he added.