Norwich man sentenced for multiple offences

A Norwich man has been handed an 18-month community order for multiple offences including shoplifting, burglary, and criminal damage.

David Smith, 43, of Yarmouth Road, Norwich, appeared at Norwich Magistrates Court on Wednesday November 29, 2023.

He had previously admitted to two counts of criminal damage, three counts of theft from shops, and two counts of commercial burglary.

While on remand in prison he engaged with Operation Converter and after further investigations he asked for 17 other offences to be taken into consideration (TIC’d) by the court at sentencing.

Smith was arrested on Tuesday 29 August 2023 by an off-duty police officer having stolen laundry liquid from the Co-op in Horsford.

Analysis of CCTV revealed he was responsible for two other thefts on Wednesday 9 August and Thursday 10 August when he left the store without paying for laundry products, meat, and champagne.

The criminal damage offences related to an incident on Monday 4 September 2023 when Smith climbed on to the roof of a row of terraced homes pulling off tiles and throwing them to the ground, damaging a car parked in the street below.

In interview he said he regretted his actions but that he was hallucinating from heroin withdrawal at the time.

Smith was also placed at the scene of a burglary by a bloodied tissue left behind on Sunday 8 October and where a brick had been used to smash a door.

He was further identified as being involved in another shop burglary via CCTV.

Of the TIC offences eight were shop burglaries and nine were theft from shops where items including charity collection tins, baby milk, meat, and scented candles were stolen.

Smith was handed an 18-month community order comprising compensation of £112.25, 100 hours of unpaid community work, 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement, a 12-month mental health treatment order, and a 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement order.

If he fails to comply within the 18 months he can be brought back to court and jailed.

Duncan Etchells, staff supervisor for Operation Converter, said: “We welcome the package of punishments which will give Smith the chance to prove himself once more to be a contributing member of the community he has recently offended against.

"I know he has a trade he can fall back on and with the right treatment package in place, with regular reviews, I hope he takes this opportunity to keep out of prison."