A serial thief with a "horrendous" criminal record stole designer handbags worth more than £2,000.
Gavin Newton helped himself to a Gucci and a Balmain bag, worth a total of £2,300, from the Flannels store in Newcastle city centre by removing security tags and handing them to an accomplice, who hid them in her own bag, on December 21 last year.
Newcastle Crown Court heard he was caught after CCTV was checked due to discrepancies in the stock and he was identified from the footage. At the time, Newton, of Hudson Road, Sunderland, who has 211 convictions on his record, was on bail for stealing three handbags, worth a total of £379.99 from TK Maxx.
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And while awaiting sentence for the offences, the 42-year-old walked out of the Aldi store in Seaburn, Sunderland, with £282 worth of meat and toys, without paying. He later admitted theft charges.
Judge Julie Clemitson said the designer bag theft from Flannels was "organised and planned". She added: "You must have had some sort of tool to remove the security tags and it is apparent your role was the leading one of the two."
Judge Clemitson added that while only two items were stolen from the Flannels store, their value would have had an impact on the business. The judge said Newton has a "horrendous" record and sentenced him to 15 months behind bars.
Annalisa Moscardini, defending, said Newton has been working with the authorities to address his drugs problem, which he wants to overcome.
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