A prolific shoplifter has been jailed for nine-and-half months after stealing from two shops to fund his drug addiction.
Saqib Bhatti begged magistrates to give him another chance to overcome his “evil” habit after pleading guilty to the offences.
But they ran out of patience with the 36-year-old after hearing how he had failed to comply with court orders and not even bothered to show up for hearings in the past.
A supermarket security guard was threatened with a bottle during one shoplifting incident involving Bhatti on March 19.
Alex Bozman, prosecuting, told Kirklees magistrates that this happened at Asda in Dewsbury on March 19.
Bhatti had tried to snatch four bottles of spirits from the Mill Street West store and was challenged by the security guard outside.
Mr Bozman said: “The defendant dropped his bag on the floor and then took a swing with a bottle he’d removed from the bag.
“The security guard ducked but there was a further confrontation in which Bhatti swore at him in Punjabi.”
He also pleaded guilty to the theft of £200 worth of bedding from Next at Birstall Retail Park on Saturday (April 22).
Bhatti admitted that he would have sold the stolen goods on to buy drugs.
In mitigation Paul Blanchard said that his client, of Trueman Avenue in Heckmondwike, wasn’t proud of his lifestyle.
He told magistrates: “Prison doesn’t work and he’s said that he wants to be given a chance to rid himself of this evil.
“In desperation he commits these offences – his life has been ruined by the desperation to consume drugs.”
But magistrates criticised Bhatti’s prolific offending and his inability to comply with court orders.
They jailed him for 38 weeks and ordered him to pay £115 victim surcharge upon his release.
