Worst shoplifters sentenced in August from Corby, Kettering, Rothwell, Desborough, Wellingborough and Rushden

Many of the offenders are no strangers to court and Northants Police have highlighted those who carry on committing crimes, whose crimes are associated with violence or drug taking.

At the start of 2024, Corby Police adopted a ‘hard-line approach’ to a group of incessant shoplifters who officers said were stoking a drug-fuelled crime wave.

A spokesman for Northants Police said: “The following people are among those who have been sentenced at Northampton Magistrates’ Court in August for shop theft or retail crime offences. Their cases have been featured because of either repeat offending and/or aggravating factors including associated violent or drug-related offending."

Northamptonshire Police say they are committed to ‘delivering against the national Retail Crime Action Plan’.

They said: “We will continue to work alongside our retail business partners to reduce retail theft and offences against retail staff, while bringing more offenders to justice.”

August 2

Phillip Leitch, aged 35, of Bonington Walk, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a shop in Corby on June 22. Sentenced to eight weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with 12-month supervision period, rehabilitation activity of up to 24 days, and ordered to pay £520 compensation.

August 6

Christopher Nast, aged 41, of no fixed address, admitted three counts of theft from a shop in Rushden on July 27 and 29, and August 5, and three counts of failing to comply with a community protection notice in Rushden on the same dates. Sentenced to a total of 24 weeks’ imprisonment, ordered to pay £85 costs and a total of £80 compensation.

August 7

Robert Gray, aged 53, of Newark Drive, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a shop in Kettering on August 3. Sentenced to 10 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £85 costs and £154 victim surcharge.

August 12

Scott Connelly, aged 44, of West Glebe Road, Corby, admitted two counts of theft from shops in Corby on June 3 and 16. Ordered to pay £85 costs, £64 victim surcharge, £161 fine and compensation totalling £40.75.

Christopher Graham, aged 33, of Mendip Way, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a shop in Corby on June 2. Ordered to pay £85 costs, £48 victim surcharge, £120 fine and £35 compensation.

August 14

David Lloyd Chapman, aged 42, of no fixed address, convicted of one count of theft from a shop in Rushden on April 12, committed during the operational period of a suspended sentence, and one count of failing to surrender to court bail on August 13. Sentenced to a total of nine weeks’ imprisonment, ordered to pay £200 compensation.

August 15

Anthony Rawle, aged 32, of HM Prison Peterborough, admitted two counts of theft from shops in Rushden on August 12 and 13. Sentenced to a total of 12 weeks’ imprisonment, ordered to pay £21 compensation.

August 19

Jane Hill, aged 39, of Stephenson Way, Corby, admitted one count of theft from a shop in Raunds in April. Given an 18-month conditional discharge, ordered to pay £85 costs and £150 compensation.

Rhys Martin, aged 29, of Cambridge Street, Rothwell, admitted two counts of theft from shops in Kettering, criminal damage to a shopping centre, assault by beating, and breaching bail conditions, all in August 2024. Sentenced to a 12-month community order with rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days, plus 100 hours unpaid work, and ordered to pay £85 costs and a total of £599.96 compensation.

Aimee Cuthbert, aged 32, of Market Square, Wellingborough, admitted 20 counts of thefts from shops in Rushden and Wellingborough in July and August 2024. Sentenced to a total of 50 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a total of £1,628.15 compensation.

Daniel Kane Jones, aged 36, of no fixed address, admitted 17 counts of theft from shops in Rushden and Wellingborough in July and August 2024. Sentenced to a total of 46 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a total of £1,257.05 compensation.

August 21

Sam Lee Labrum, aged 29, of no fixed address, admitted eight counts of thefts from shops in Wellingborough during July and August 2024. Sentenced to a total of four weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay a total of £280 compensation.

Terry Roe, aged 39, of Duck Street, Rushden, admitted five counts of thefts from shops in Wellingborough during August 2024, and one count of possession of a Class B drug (cannabis) on August 19. Sentenced to a total of 12 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a total of £100 compensation, with a forfeiture and destruction order made for the drugs.

August 22

Andrew Holland, aged 40, of Braybrooke Road, Desborough, admitted one count of theft from a shop on June 7, one count of driving while disqualified and one count of driving without insurance in Desborough, both on June 13, 2024. Sentenced to a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work, disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay a total of £170 costs, £2 compensation and fined a total of £202.

David Leslie Caldwell, aged 45, of no fixed address, admitted five counts of theft from shops in Corby in June, July and August 2024, and one count of using threatening/abusive words/behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress in the town on August 21, all committed while on a community order and while subject to a previously suspended sentence. Sentenced to a total of 16 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay £85 costs and a total of £291.96 compensation.