Prolific burglar jailed again for breaking into Sheffield shop to steal charity box

Gary Mart, 37, and an unnamed accomplice broke into Holland & Barrett on Barker's Pool at around 6am on June 6 this year, after gaining access by kicking through the front door.

"CCTV in due course showed this defendant, and another, enter and steal a charity box worth approximately £100 and some skin cream," Brian Outhwaite, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court.

Mart, of Stradbroke Road, Woodhouse, was arrested a short time later, but his accomplice has never been identified.

A shop worker at Holland & Barrett said in her victim personal statement: "Theft from the store is a huge problem. It impacts upon customers when the company is forced to put their prices up.

"Damage to the shop's door is affecting our reputation."

Mr Outhwaite told the court that Mart, who has several previous convictions for both commercial and residential burglaries, was on license for 54 month sentence for burglary when he committed this latest offence.

Mart pleaded guilty to one count of non-dwelling house burglary at an earlier hearing.

Defending, Lucy Hogarth, said in mitigation: "He does have a poor record for similar offences. The pre-sentence report indicates that the probation service would still be willing to manage him in the community."

She added: "He is in supported accommodation. Was he to spend some additional time in custody, but not of a significant length, that accommodation would still be available to him."

Judge Michael Slater jailed Mart for six months during the hearing held today (Monday, August 13)

He told him: "I accept that when you were released from your 54 month sentence, you did make significant efforts to rehabilitate yourself. But you have let yourself down by becoming involved in this non-dwelling house burglary."