A Milford man who assaulted a shop worker after trying to steal a bacon roll has admitted the charges in court.
Thirty-one-year-old David Graham Lewis, of Chestnut Way, The Mount, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, to plead guilty to two charges of theft from shops; and a further charge of assault by beating.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that the first incident occurred on December 28, when the defendant entered the CK’s supermarket store in Milford Haven shortly before 10 am.
“He put a bacon roll worth £1.50 in the pocket of his jacket, and was followed by the shop manager who asked him to hand it back.
“Mr. Lewis continued to walk away and the manager grabbed hold of his jacket to restrain him.
“The defendant threw his arm out and hit the manager on the side of his face, knocking his glasses off, but denied punching him at the time.
“Mr. Lewis said ‘if you let me go’ he would give the bacon roll back - he did - but then he ran away!” continued Mr. Pritchard-Jones.
The court heard that Mr. Lewis was back on the take again the following month, when he entered the Food Warehouse in Milford Haven on January 15 and stole groceries to the value of £33.75.
Mr. Pritchard-Jones said that the defendant wasn’t caught at the time but CCTV from the store showed him putting various items into his basket and walking out without paying.
Defence solicitor Jonathan Webb told the court that his client who was subject to a conditional discharge issued in December for stealing tobacco had shown ‘signs of desperation’ in stealing food items. “His offending is more sporadic than persistent,” he told the court.
Magistrates told Mr. Lewis that his appearance back in court would be a ‘very costly’ one, as they fined him a total of £80 for the theft and assault, and ordered him to pay compensation of £180 to the victim.
He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £32 victim surcharge.