Homeless man jailed for shoplifting at Sports Direct and Bargain Buys and breaching a sexual offences notification order

Samuel Metcalfe, 36, appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court to face charges including breaching a sexual offences notification order.

He also admitted two charges of theft and breaching a community behaviour order by entering The Bridges Shopping Centre.

Lorna Rimell, prosecuting, said in February this year Metcalfe was placed on the community behaviour order, which included a ban on him entering any retail parks in Sunderland, including The Bridges.

However, on August 12, he was seen in the shopping centre.

She said on September 6 he went into Sports Direct, picked up a number of pairs of men’s socks and left without paying.

And, on September 11 he stole two mattress toppers, valued at £49.98, from Bargain Buys in Sunderland.

Ms Rimell said Metcalfe was placed on a sexual notification register for having sex with an underage person and as part of that had to report to the police station every week, which he failed to do on October 16.

She said this order had already been breached a number of times.

Joanne Gatens, defending, said because he is homeless Metcalfe has to sign the register weekly, rather than yearly if he had an address, and he simply forgot.

She said her client lost his address when he spent two weeks in prison.

Ms Gatens said: “When he came out all the locks had been changed and all of his possessions were in there.”

Metcalfe, of no fixed abode, was jailed for six weeks and ordered to pay £49.98 compensation.