Sunderland man caught with knife in public for 3rd time during police frisk after shoplifting charge

Kevin Marrs, 38, had a lock knife in a pocket when searched in Sorley Street, next to Sunderland Royal Hospital, on Saturday, May 10. Marrs, of Felstead Crescent, Ford Estate, was stopped due to his failure to attend a planned court appearance on a shoplifting charge.

It followed an allegation he pinched £185 of body spray from B&M’s outlet at the city’s Pallion Retail Park on Saturday, November 2. When interviewed about his knife crime, he refused to comment but later claimed he had found the weapon in a street.

Of the shop theft, prosecutor Emily Hunt said: “The defendant has entered B&M and taken the items. The items were not recovered. The witness said the value was £200 but when added up, it was £185, as in the charge.”

And of his knife offence, she added: “On May 10, police arrested the defendant on a warrant outstanding for shop theft. When they searched him, a knife was found. When interviewed he said, ‘No comment’.”

At South Tyneside Magistrates' Court, Marrs pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a bladed article in public and theft from a shop. He has 22 previous convictions from 37 offences, and was last before a court in February 2023.

His crimes include two previous convictions for bladed article offences - one in 2010 - and 11 for shoplifting. Alastair Naismith, defending, said: “He has been out of trouble for a while. All he can say in relation to the knife is that he picked it up in a street. It was in his pocket.

“It was found because he was picked up on a warrant. He wasn’t doing anything with it. He does have previous for knife offences on his record but not for 15 years.”

The case was adjourned for Marrs to be assessed for a drug rehabilitation programme. He was granted bail to be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, July 31, on condition he does not enter B&M at Pallion.