A drug addled thief branded the 'lowest of the low' by one of his victims has been told to 'sort his life out'. Craig Darcey, 32, snuck into Manchester city centre apartment blocks and stole parcels, striking on seven occasions during a month long spree.
One of the parcels, stolen from an apartment block off Ducie Street in the Northern Quarter, contained medication. "Taking my wife’s medication being stolen is the lowest of the low," the victim's husband said.
Darcey, who was homeless and addicted to drugs at the time, pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft. Sentencing, Judge Nicholas Dean KC told him: "You need to sort your life out. I hope you understand that, but it is in your hands to do so."
Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link
Manchester Crown Court heard that some of the other parcels stolen by Darcey between January and February this year included important documents from HM Revenue and Customs, personal letters and coronavirus testing kits.
One victim received a notification informing them that their parcel had arrived, only to find a man in the parcel room with a goatee who looked 'dishevelled'. He was later discovered to be Darcey, prosecutor Jennifer Devans-Tamakloe said. When Darcey previously appeared at Stockport Magistrates' Court, he was branded as the 'lowest of the low' by the husband of the woman who had her medication stolen.
“I hope this person will reflect on the misery they have caused by the callous act," he added. Defending, Matthew Todd said Darcey, who has 63 offences on his record, had stayed out of trouble for a number of years after finding stability in a new relationship.
But following a break-up and the loss of his job, he relapsed and ended up on the streets, the court was told. Darcey has become clean from drugs in prison, Mr Todd said.
"Your problems are what has led you to offending, but stealing parcels in particular is a mean offence," Judge Dean told Darcey. "It may well be that you felt you had to and had no choice, but you are responsible for a lot of theft, at the end of the day.
"Your behaviour is at best a nuisance to people, and a lot worse for those people who lose their valuables." Darcey, of no fixed address, was sentenced to nine months in prison. Given that he has been in custody since February, he is expected to be released 'immediately or very soon'.
