Thief jailed after breaching suspended sentence by stealing pork chops

Niall Ord breached a suspended sentence order by stealing £21 of pork chops, Durham Crown Court heard.

Ord was spared jail in February when he was given a suspended jail term for biting a man on the cheek and took just a month to breach the order.

“The suspended sentence was imposed in February for an offence of violence,” said Sean Dryden, prosecuting. “In March the defendant walked into the Co-op in Easington, put the pork chops in a bag, and left without paying.

“He was given the suspended sentence for an offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in which he punched his victim and bit his cheek.

“Ord has previous convictions for 51 offences, including 25 thefts from shops.”

Ord, 27, of Beaumont Crescent, Horden, admitted theft on March 26, and being in breach of a suspended sentence.

He appeared in court via videolink from HMP Holme House.

Neil Bennett, defending, said in mitigation: “Mr Ord has a long-standing problem with drugs and drink, and there are issues surrounding his mental health.

“Having been released from remand for his previous offence, he had difficulties accessing his methadone script.

“His idea was to not take anything to rid himself once and for all of his drug problem, but that idea failed.

“Upon his release this time, he will need help to find accommodation and help with his other issues.”

Judge Simon Hickey activated the suspended sentence of eight months, and added another month for the shop theft.

“That’s a total of nine months,” said the judge. “No doubt the sentence was suspended last time for good reason, but you can’t double count those reasons now.

“You would have been told what could happen if you breached the suspended sentence.

“You did breach it, and barely a month after it was imposed.

“The top and bottom of this case is you stole meat to get money for drugs.

“Stealing from shops causes misery and hassle for shopkeepers, they cannot sell the stolen goods, and it puts up their insurance premiums.”