A burglar who is banned from Liverpool city centre smashed his way into an Aldi supermarket in order to steal booze.
George Jackson, from Anfield, has more than 100 previous convictions to his name. But the "complete and utter nuisance to the public" has been put in the "last chance saloon" after walking free from court over his latest offending.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Thursday, that the 34-year-old and an unidentified accomplice smashed the shopfront window of the Smithdown Road store shortly before 1am on February 5 this year. The pair made a beeline for the alcohol section and filled up several carrier bags with drink before leaving around five minutes later.
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A witness at the scene gave a description of the offenders, and while police attended and located them nearby it could not be ascertained whether they were the culprits. Jackson, of Walton Breck Road, was later identified via CCTV footage though.
When arrested on June 1, he claimed under interview that he could not recall his whereabouts at the time of the break-in. Julian Nutter, defending, told the court that his client had consumed a "cocktail of alcohol and drugs" and also suffers from mental health problems.
He added: "What we have got here is someone who is a complete and utter nuisance to the public. There are some causes for optimism.
"For the first time in his recent life, he is positive about his desire to get help and get out of the lifestyle he has been living in. His drug problem and alcohol habit are being managed now."
Urging the court to spare Jackson an immediate jail term, Mr Nutter said: "It very much would be the last chance saloon. If you send him to custody he will lose his home and all the things he has got that are props for his good management.
"He's brought his bag expecting what is likely to happen. I ask the court to build upon his new found determination and give him a chance.
"It's generally the experience of professionals in the field as well as those of us who practice in court that one of three things happens. Nothing at all, they die or a sizeable number get to middle age and detach themselves from drug addiction.
"Here, we have someone who has expressed a willingness to detach himself from drug addiction."
Jackson admitted burglary and was handed an eight-month imprisonment suspended for a year. He was also handed a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and told to pay a victim surcharge.
Sentencing, Judge Stuart Driver said: "This case is aggravated by your terrible record, your 100 previous convictions including several for burglary. There are three clear points of mitigation - your mental health, you have begun cooperating to tackle your drug problem and thirdly your sentence will be reduced by one third because of your guilty plea.
"I'm satisfied there is a significant prospect of successful rehabilitation and so the sentence will be suspended. I hope that you can succeed.
"If you don't you're not getting off with it. You will be brought back to court.
"If I see you again, you're going away for eight months."
Jackson was previously handed a five-year criminal behaviour order in 2019 after a spate of burglaries and shoplifting in the city centre. This CBO barred him from entering a large portion of the area, as well as Queens Store on Breck Road.
He must also leave any shop if asked to do so by a member of staff and was banned from "acting in an anti-social manner that is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress" anywhere in Merseyside. And the order banned him from contacting four individuals.
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