Chesterfield furloughed chef with hard drugs habit raids three cars in one night

Jacob Bower, 38, who has “juggled two sides of himself” and for whom “the devil made work for idle hands” during lockdown was stopped by police at about 4am on March 1.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard how Bower had spent the night driving around Staveley “trying car doors” - stealing two sat navs, registration plates, bags and Prosecco.

Prosecutor Peter Bettany said the defendant had a 20-year-old drug habit including “heroin, cocaine and tablets” - with previous convictions for shop thefts and drug matters.

Mr Bettany said: “He was going to sell the items he stole to fund his drug habit.”

After Bower’s arrest all of the stolen items were recovered.

Solicitor Karl Meakin said his client was on a methadone script but was known to “top up”.

Mr Meakin said: “He has by-and-large held down full-time work in recent years and is a chef by trade but has been furloughed since last year.

“He’s juggled two sides of himself and during furlough the devil made work for idle hands - his old habits crept up on him a little bit.”

The solicitor said Bower’s last conviction was in 2016 - adding: “He is not someone who is habitually before the courts.”

Bower, of Boythorpe Avenue, admitted three counts of theft from a motor vehicle.

Magistrates adjourned his case for a pre-sentence report.

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