Derbyshire addict fell off the wagon and stole pink gin from supermarket

Paul Holmes, aged 34, of Alma Street, Fairfield, Buxton, appeared before Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, December 18, following the incident at the Aldi store, in Station Street, Buxton, on November 28.

Homes, who admitted stealing the Victoria Pink Gin from the store, was caught on CCTV entering the store with a Sports Direct bag, and picking up a basket.

Prosecuting, Angela Hadfield said Holmes was seen to pick up two bottles of the gin, place them in his basket, walk further along the aisle, and transfer them into his bag.

He was seen to repeat this process twice more, leaving the store without paying for six bottles in total, valued at £119.94 in total.

Mitigating, John Wilford, said: “His reoffending only happened for a short time. He briefly fell off his script, panicked and stole the gin. He is under very close supervision, he has weekly meetings with a police officer and that officer had brought him to court today. He is trying very hard not to reoffend.”

Magistrates ordered that Holmes, who has previous convictions for shop theft, could continue with the post-sentence supervision already in place. He was placed on an electronic curfew from 7pm to 7am for three months, ordered to pay the store £119.94 in compensation, £85 in costs and a £90 victim surcharge.