A drug addict who stole from the same Boots store over 30 times has been jailed.

Derek Newcombe was caught taking cosmetics worth £200 from Moorfield Shopping Centre in Crosland Moor.

It was upon his arrest for these that the 33-year-old confessed to 32 other thefts from the same shop.

He told police: “I thought I would get caught eventually.”

Kirklees magistrates jailed him for more than seven months after hearing that he travelled from Manchester to Huddersfield to steal to fund his heroin addiction.

Newcombe appeared in custody following his arrest for the two thefts spotted by staff between November 3 and 8.

Vanessa Jones, prosecuting, told magistrates that while staff had seen him stealing they had not apprehended him and the cosmetics taken were not recovered.

He was arrested after returning to the store again watched by a police community support officer viewing the CCTV footage.

Newcombe tested positive for the misuse of Class A drugs and told police: “It’s a fair cop. I thought I would get caught eventually.”

The other 32 thefts only came to the attention of police after Newcombe admitted to them and none of the stolen goods were recovered by the store.

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Magistrates were asked to take these into consideration when sentencing him.

Sam Jackson, mitigating, explained that drugs were at the heart of his client’s offending and he stole prolifically to fund his heavy addiction to heroin.

He told magistrates: “The defendant couldn’t have been more cooperative with police.

“He admitted the offences and, on top of that, admitted to a further 32 offences when there was no obligation on him. He was helping police with their enquiries.

“He lives in Manchester and the offences were committed in Huddersfield.

“He’s travelled over in order to commit these offences and sell the items to buy drugs.”

Mr Jackson told magistrates that Newcombe was last given a drug treatment requirement four years ago and wanted to have the same chance of cooperating with a community-based punishment again.

He added: “He wants support to be in place to enable him to stop and eventually reduce his drug use.”

But magistrates told Newcombe, of Croftlands Road in Wythenshaw, Manchester, that he had an “appalling record” for shop theft.

They jailed him for 30 weeks and ordered him to pay £115 victim surcharge upon his release from prison.