Man who stole tools from builders merchant is jailed

A 37-year-old man from St Ives has been committed to prison for six weeks after breaching his suspended sentence order.

Mark Splevings, of Hurstingstone, appeared before Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on

February 10 charged with stealing hand tools from Ridgeons Building Supplies, also in St Ives.

The incident took place in Needingworth Road, on December 9, when Splevings took £67.93 worth of goods from the shop.

Giles Beaumont, prosecuting, said: “He was asked if he knew anything about it [the theft] and said he wouldn’t say anything until he had seen the CCTV, but then confirmed it was him. He said he could not remember much about it.”

In mitigation, David Potter told the bench that Splevings had a long-standing drug addiction and faced losing his home.

He said: “Given his lifestyle and chaotic circumstances he was unable to comply with the order. He tried to contact probation but he has no phone.

“He said everything just got on top of him. He has been identified by police as a vulnerable person that can be taken advantage of.”

Mr Potter also mentioned that Christmas was a difficult time for Splevings and that while these points were “not an excuse”, they were an “explanation for why he acts the way he does.”

After hearing the evidence, chair of the bench, Peter Waterfield, decided to activate a six-week suspended sentence handed to Splevings last August.

For the theft charge, another six weeks was added to this and ordered to run consecutively with the order, totalling 12 weeks in prison.

Splevings, who wore a blue hooded top, was also told to pay a victim surcharge of £115.