Prolific Sunderland thief with 228 OFFENCES caught with champagne and whisky after being stopped on A690

Lee Graham, 48, was pulled over on the A690 northbound by police who had been tipped off about his poor standard of motoring.

Graham, of Thompson Road, Southwick, had swiped the goods from an Asda store in Darlington on Wednesday, October 5, a court heard. It was one of four shoplifting offences on his latest charge sheet, all committed while on licence from a 54-month jail term for burglary.

He also pinched £105 of razors, coffee and steak from the Co-Op in Wingate, on Sunday, May 29. And he swiped coffee, crisps and other goods from Asda, in Stanley, on Wednesday, June 22.

Graham further plundered £84 of bedding, and a pan, from Sainsbury’s in Silksworth Lane, Sunderland, on Saturday, July 23. But he has avoided being returned to prison after magistrates in South Tyneside said they wanted to help and not just punish him.

Prosecutor Stephanie Cook said Graham was stopped by staff as he tried to leave Sainsbury’s. She revealed the goods from that outlet and from the Darlington Asda branch, were recovered.

Graham pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and three shop thefts, and was found guilty at trial in his absence of a fourth. The court heard 140 of his offences – from 79 previous convictions – were for theft or kindred crimes. He was jailed in January 2020 for a dwelling burglary and released on licence in September last year.

A Probation Service report said Graham, who was said to “misuse substances”, was otherwise complying well with the terms of his licence. Angus Westgarth, defending, said Graham had suffered a troubled childhood.

He added: “It’s been a dysfunctional life. He is now 48 years of age and has been sofa surfing for several months. Many of these offences were committed when he was sofa surfing and in difficulty.”

Magistrates sentenced Graham to a 12-month community order, with 16 rehabilitation days and a six-month drug treatment order. He was given six penalty points for the driving offence and must pay full compensation to the Co-Op and £10 to Asda, with £200 court costs and a £114 victim surcharge.