Justice finally served for thief who attacked Washington B&Q security guard then walked off from court to avoid jail

A violent thief who absconded from a court before he could be jailed for attacking a shop security guard has finally been caged.

Paul Brewis, 39, walked out of South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court while deliberations were ongoing as to his punishment on Wednesday May 31.

Brewis, of York Street, Pelaw, Gateshead, had been warned by his solicitor he could be imprisoned or at the least given a suspended sentence.

After learning he had vanished, magistrates jailed him for 12 weeks for assaulting the staff member at retailer B&Q’s store on Washington’s Armstrong Industrial Estate – and issued an arrest warrant.

He avoided justice for six weeks until he was detained by police and brought back to the same court for sentencing on Monday, July 10.

Brewis attacked the employee while making his getaway with an £85 drill on Saturday, July 23 last year, prosecutor Stephanie Cook said.

She added: “The defendant pleaded guilty to charges of theft from a shop and assault by beating.

“He was due to be present to be sentenced but he left the building. The sentence was activated, and it was 12 weeks imprisonment for the assault.

“He was also ordered to pay compensation in relation to the assault. There was no separate penalty for the theft.”

At his original hearing, Brewis pleaded guilty to assault by beating and theft from a shop.

John Williams, defending, said: “There’s nothing I can add because he’s already been sentenced.”

Magistrates reminded Brewis of his original sentence as he stood in the dock flanked by a security guard,

As well as jailing him for the assault, they ordered him to pay £100 compensation to the security guard, with a £156 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

Brewis must also pay compensation of £85 to B&Q as reparation for the stolen drill.

All money owed will start to be taken from his state benefits 28 days after his prison release.