Shoplifter with more than 150 convictions swears at judge in Peterborough Magistrates' Court as he is jailed

Joe Wilkinson (38), said District Judge Ken Sheraton was ‘taking the p***’ as he was sentenced at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court, before storming out of the dock back to the cells, saying ‘take me ‘f******* down.’

The court had heard Wilkinson, of no fixed abode, had carried out more than a dozen shop thefts in the weeks after he was released from his latest prison sentence.

Wilkinson – who has 155 previous offences recorded against his name – including 100 for theft – admitted another 16 counts of shoplifting at the hearing.

Offences included the theft of 24 bottles of wine worth £400 from Tesco, as well as stealing £350 of alcohol from the supermarket on three occasions.

Kashif Khan, defending, admitted that Wlikinson’s record ‘spoke for itself’ and said: “He was released from HMP Highpoint, and had his bag stolen. He was left with nothing, and he stole to survive on the street.

"These offences were opportunistic.”

Judge Sheraton, however, said: “ These were not opportunistic. You don’t opportunistically carry out 24 bottles of wine.”

Mr Khan agreed, and said: “They were not opportunistic – they were to feed a drug habit.”

Mr Khan urged Judge Sheraton to impose a short sentence – or to avoid prison altogether – saying long prison sentences would not ‘break the cycle’.

However, the Judge said: “He has had short sentences before and they don’t work.”

Wilkinson asked to address the judge in person, and said he had every intention of returning to his home town of Colchester – but turned to stealing when he had his bag stolen.

Judge Sheraton asked how much had had received when selling on the bottles of alcohol – when Wilkinson replied £10, the judge said: “You could have bought a train ticket then.”

Wilkinson was given a total prison sentence of 48 weeks – at which point he unleashed his outburst and left the court.

He was also ordered to pay a total of £2,150 compensation.