No last chance

[Gob]

So that's what it takes to get a jail sentence!!

Shoplifter David Archer jailed for 342nd offence


A homeless shoplifter has been jailed for 18 months for his 342nd offence after a judge told him he had a "dreadful record".

David Archer, formerly of Mostyn, Flintshire, had 261 other convictions for shoplifting, other thefts and burglary, Mold Crown Court heard.

He also had 11 convictions over an Asbo which bans him from charity shops and bars him from possessing a charity box.

North Wales Police backed the sentence and said intervention failed to work.

Archer, who admitted two fresh shoplifting offences and two breaches of an Asbo (Anti-social behaviour order) designed to keep him out of charity shops, told the court he had only stolen because he wanted to keep warm during the cold weather.

Archer, who started stealing at the age of 10, wrote a letter to the judge saying he had in the past donated to charities because he appreciated the work that they did.

The judge asked him how stealing charity box or a camera would help him keep warm.

The Asbo was in place to try and give charitable institutions some protection, he said.

"I don't know if he takes me for a fool, but I'm not," said the judge. "I don't accept a word of what he says in relation to that."

[dgs49]

If he has been caught 261 times, one can only wonder how many offenses he has committed.