Prolific crook sent to prison

A serial offender who stole make-up from a Wigan store has started a jail term after breaching the terms of a previous sentence.
Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' CourtWigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court
Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court

Jonathan Chappell appeared in the dock alongside housemate Kevin Furlong, both charged with shoplifting.

The court heard the pair targeted Wilkinsons on Standishgate on April 28 and stole the cosmetics and air-fresheners, respectively.

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Chappell, 36, was handed a 10-week prison sentence as he was out on licence following a previous theft offence from March.

Furlong, who had also stolen from the same store earlier in the month, received a conditional discharge.

It was heard at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court that the defendants, who live on Woodhouse Lane, were viewed by security staff and then tracked after they left the store.

They were stopped by officers on nearby Vauxhall Road and both were found to have the stolen items; Furlong, air-fresheners worth £88 and Chappell, make-up worth £80.

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Tess Kenyon, prosecuting, said Chappell had a 28-page record with 60 offences convicted, 35 of which were theft related.

Colin Rawson, defending, told the court his client had been trapped in a “vicious cycle” of re-offending and had been in and out of prison.

Chappell had been subject to a drug rehabilitation programme and Mr Rawson asked the bench to bear this in mind in their sentencing.

Ms Kenyon said Furlong had a record which was 26 pages long but Peter Moran, defending, said his client had “kept himself out of trouble” since 2011.

“His record is far from appealing,” Mr Moran added.

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The items from the April 28 incident had been recovered and in relation to the earlier theft Furlong “did not disagree” with the fact he would have to pay the compensation.

The 49-year-old had been co-operating with a community drugs team, Mr Moran said.

Having both pleaded guilty, Chappell received a two-week custodial sentence for the shop-lifting offence plus eight weeks automatically triggered from the suspended sentence he was subject to. He was also ordered to pay £115.

Furlong, who after hearing his sentence collected a bag from the waiting room for his jail-bound housemate, received the 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £22 compensation, plus costs of £105.

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