A SERIAL shoplifter from Barrow has been jailed for 16 weeks after he was caught stealing from a DIY store on the day he was supposed to appear in Crown Court for attempted burglary.

Andrew Hackett, 30, of Rawlinson Street, pleaded guilty to theft after nicking a £90 power drill from B&Q in Cornmill Park, Barrow, on November 15.

Mr Lee Dacre, prosecuting, told Furness Magistrates' Court how the defendant entered the store at 1pm and walked towards the power tools section where he picked up a power screwdriver.

Hackett then fled the store when he was challenged by a member of staff for not paying for the item.

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Barrow thief who cheered when he escaped jail is banged up two days later

Police were called to the store and gave chase to the defendant before arresting him with the screwdriver later found lodged between two parked cars.

On the day of his arrest, Hackett had been due to appear at Barrow Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing after he was accused of trying to steal from a property in Durham Street, Barrow, on August 11.

He was also due to appear in the crown court charged with causing criminal damage while in police custody.

In August, Hackett was sentenced to 18 weeks in jail for stealing £113.89 worth of goods from Barrow's TK Maxx.

Prior to that, he cheered inside Furness Magistrates' Court on August 15 when he avoided a jail term for stealing perfume sets, seven jars of Nescafe coffee and two bottles of wine from B&M, Aldi and Tesco respectively.

Hackett cheered and shouted "get in" and "thank you sir" as presiding magistrate Robert Swales avoided giving him a custodial sentence and instead ordered him to be placed on an electronic curfew from 6am until 6pm for eight weeks.

The defendant recently served time after pleading guilty to stealing aftershave worth £47 from Debenhams in Portland Walk, Barrow, at Furness Magistrates' Court on October 29.

With regards to his latest theft, Mr Michael Graham, defending, told the court that his client resorted to desperate measures after his benefits were stopped following his release from prison.

He said: "His benefits have been sanctioned and his bank account has been closed so he did not have a penny to his name. So therefore at the time, because he had no money, he took the item to try and raise some money."

Presiding magistrate, Mr Everley Buckley, took a dim view of Hackett's criminal record and the fact that this offence was committed while on bail as the bench sentenced him to another spell in prison.

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He said: "This offence was committed while you were bail from the crown court. You should have been here yesterday in crown court – not in B&Q.

"You have got a bad record of offending and also offending while on bail.

"You have had chances in the past in terms of community orders but you will be sentenced to 16 weeks."

Hackett must also pay a victim surcharge of £115. No order was made for compensation of the stolen item as it was recovered and returned to the store in working condition.

He is due to appear via video link charged with attempted burglary and criminal damage for a plea and trial preparation hearing at Preston Crown Court today.