Sunderland man assaulted shop worker who confronted woman over stealing alcohol from Co-op branch

A Sunderland man assaulted a shop assistant when he confronted a woman for stealing alcohol, a court has heard.
Picture c/o Google StreetviewPicture c/o Google Streetview
Picture c/o Google Streetview

Jade Louise Murray, 30, of Holylake Square, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to stealing alcohol worth £37.50 from the Co-op in Springwell Road on November 21.

And, Paul Duncan, 35, of Granville Street, pleaded guilty to assaulting the shopworker during the same incident.

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South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard that the pair, along with another male, had gone into the Co-op and when the shop assistant confronted Murray over the theft of spirits, the two men grabbed him and pushed him up against the shelves.

Glenda Beck, prosecuting, reading from the victim statement, said: “This group threatened that they would be watching for me when I am not at work and I would be beaten up.

“I would like the court to deal with these people, so it doesn’t happen again.”

Mark Richardson, defending Duncan, said his client had gone into the store to buy alcohol.

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He said: “He had no intention of steal from the store, he had his bank card with him.

“He acted without thinking. He should have considered the situation first, but in response to what he saw he took hold of the complainant.

“He should not have acted so quickly, he should have thought first.

“He is a man who leads a simple life these days.”

Greg Flaxen, defending Murray, said his client has a problem with alcohol and did go into the store with the intention of stealing drink.

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However, he said she was not threatening towards the store worker at all.

He said: “Jade would maintain that she was not threatening and it was him who approached her.”

Duncan was given a 12-month community order, which included doing 80 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £90.

Murray was placed on a 12-month community order with an alcohol treatment requirement of nine months. She was also banned from entering the Co-op in Springwell Road for 12 months.