Addict shoplifter jailed for year after fork attack on store staff

A SHOPLIFTER has been jailed for 12 months after a court heard he attacked two staff members with a fork after he was caught stealing in a store.

Carl Cartwright was spotted taking some chocolate in the Netto store in Harehills Lane, Leeds on December 4 last year and was stopped outside by security staff.

Mehran Nassiri, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday Cartwright then punched one of the security officers Prince Asare-Tandoh before he was taken back into the shop.

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He said “have it back” revealing the chocolate inside his jacket.

Cartwright was then escorted to the staff canteen to await the arrival of police.

However, while inside he picked up a fork and went towards the store manager Emma Slippin.

She pushed him back but when she turned away felt a blow to the back of her head and realised she was bleeding from where he had struck her with the fork causing a laceration.

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Another security officer Paul Ryder went to her aid and Cartwright then caught him with the fork, causing a one centimetre cut to his ear before he was subdued on the floor.

Chloe Fairley, for Cartwright, said he wanted to apologise to his victims.

At the time he was considerably under the influence of both alcohol and drugs and had little recollection of the events.

Since then he had done a detoxification programme and alcohol awareness programme and realised the link to his offending.

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Cartwright, 29, of Arthington Street, Leeds, admitted theft, two charges of assault causing bodily harm and one of common assault.

Jailing him Judge Kerry Macgill said he had a bad record for violence and dishonesty. Having been caught shoplifting he had once again used violence against three people.

He added that courts had to do what they could to protect shop staff from people who turned violent when caught stealing to fund their habits.