A man who went into a shop 'set to steal' a number of shoes worth more than £400 said he is now committed to starting a new life without crime. Petru-Andrei Strut, aged 22, pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates' Court of attempting to steal from a TK Maxx in Giltbrook, Nottinghamshire.
Strut, who lives in Derby, was seen entering the shop just before 1pm on January 30. Ms Pritchard, prosecuting, said the employer at TK Maxx had seen the defendant on CCTV "collecting various items of footwear" worth £407.94.
He was "taken into a room" instead, the prosecution told the court. The shoes in the basket had their security tags removed.
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Strut was arrested, the prosecution said. Attending the court with an interpreter on Thursday, May 18, he told district judge Leo Pyle: "I am very sorry for what happened.
"I deserve to pay what I owe. Last week I started work and I am financially secure."
He was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to pay a £85 surcharge and legal costs of £154.
Outside the court, he spoke to Nottinghamshire Live in his native language, adding: "I came to the UK from Romania in 2019 for work.
"I am just ready to leave everything behind and start again, I want to stay away out of trouble. I want to be happy."
He also spoke of the offence, adding: "I was not in the right state of mind. Now I have a job, I work as a delivery driver."
Strut added: "I thank God for this sentence. They [God] know I am good soul. I am very grateful for it because it has given me a sign I needed that I have to change my ways."
He was banned from any TK Maxx store in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire for the next two years. Delivering his sentence, Judge Pyle told the court: "It is clear from the documentation that this was a shoplifting expedition involving not just you, but also other persons."
"This was group activity," he added. Judge Pyle said he took into consideration Strut's guilty plea and "light record".
He continued: "Today [May 18], I will release you home. There will be a sentence for eight months in prison, suspended for two years.
"There will be a requirement that you do not enter any TK Maxx store in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire for two years. You let your friends know that you are subject to that order."
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