Prolific Wigan criminal avoids jail return

Wigan magistrates heard 50-year-old Arthur McLean of Orchard Street, Wigan, was arrested after going into WHSmith’s and the Post Office in the Grand Arcade on January 22, breaching a criminal behaviour order issued by borough justices 11 months earlier.

The bench was told that this was the fourth breach of the order and gave him a 16-week prison sentence, although it was suspended for 12 month.

The chair told him: “You have what can only be described as an appalling record of offending,” although it was accepted that he was not stealing on this occasion.

Magistrates also ordered McLean to pay out a £128 victim services surcharge.

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