A shoplifter who barged past an Ipswich supermarket security guard who tried to stop him leaving with a bag of stolen goods and knocked him over has been jailed for 18 months.
Luke Faulkner entered the Tesco’s store in Norwich Road on June 5 and was seen putting items into a black bag, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
A security guard told him he couldn’t put items into his own bag until he’d paid for them and Faulkner had run off down another aisle, said Simon Gladwell, prosecuting.
The security guard ran to the exit and braced himself to stop Faulkner leaving with £150 of items.
Faulkner had collided with him at speed and barged him into a security gate causing the guard to fall into the gate causing £500 damage.
Faulkner, 35, of Norwich Road, Ipswich, admitted robbery, criminal damage, theft and assault by beating. He asked for two offences of theft to be considered.
The court heard that on June 15 Faulkner went to the Food Warehouse in London Road, Ipswich, and was seen putting items in a hold-all.
He walked past the tills without paying and was confronted outside by shop staff who told him to drop the bag containing the £200 worth of stolen goods.
One member of staff had taken hold of the bag and passed it to a colleague who Faulkner punched in the face causing a cut to his mouth.
The court heard that later the same day a police officer saw Faulkner in Norwich Road and chased him to a boarding house where he barricaded himself in his room.
The officer forced entry and it was found that he had damaged a bed, a chest of drawers and a lamp.
Nicola May for Faulkner, who has 75 previous convictions, said he had mental health issues and a drug addiction.
He had committed the offences to get money to pay drug debts.
She said he’d been in custody since June and had been drug free while he’d been in custody.
Source – Ipswich Star