A 34-year-old man had admitted shoplifting from charity shops and other businesses in Formby

Dec 11 2012 by Andrew Brown, Formby Times

A 34-YEAR-OLD man has been given a suspended jail sentence after he was caught carrying out a string of thefts at charity shops and businesses in Formby.

Marcel Patrick Joseph Keenan, of Bedford Road, Bootle, pleaded guilty to stealing: a child’s walkie-talkie play-set worth £4.99 from the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation charity shop; socks worth £10.96 from the Age UK charity shop; a Thornton’s white chocolate collection box worth £9.99 from Derbyshire’s; a frozen leg of lamb worth £13 from Iceland; and bottles of Grants whisky and Martell cognac brandy worth £32.80 from Waitrose, all on Thursday, September 20.

Sefton magistrates sentenced Keenan to 16 weeks’ jail, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to undergo treatment for drug dependency for six months.

JPs cited his previous criminal record, and the fact he was on bail for stealing a chainsaw and multi-tool worth £92.98 from Aldi in Bootle – a charge to which he also pleaded guilty – when he carried out his thefts. Keenan was also told to pay £92.95 compensation to Aldi and £85 court costs.