Violent nappy thief escapes jail - court

1:32pm Monday 12th May 2008

A DROITWICH man has avoided going to jail despite breaching the terms of a suspended prison sentence.

Steven Owens, 21, appeared at Worcester Crown Court after admitting theft of nappies.

The court heard Owens, of Woodmans Rise, had taken the nappies from Wilkinsons in the Salters Precinct on Wednesday, February 27, this year.

Simon Rippon, prosecuting, said Owens left the store without paying and was caught, in doing so he breached the terms of a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months imposed for an offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, for which he was convicted on Thursday, February 14 this year.

David Taylor, defending, said his client had been making progress in rehabilitation and suggested such a small act of theft bore no relation to the assault.

He said: "He is from a troubled background and this theft was a stupid offence and the goods were not for him."

Owens was given a conditional discharge for the theft and his supervision order was extended by three months.