Out-of-work Derbyshire man with “no way of paying for anything” stole meat

Nicholas Ridding, 40, stole meat worth £36.25 from the Whitwell store, plus the cleaning products and other items of an unknown value, having just lost his job.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard on September 29 staff at the shop were approached by a customer saying “a white male was stealing from the meat shelf”.

Andrew Conby, prosecuting, said: “Staff checked the meat shelf and a number of meat products had gone missing.”

The court heard Ridding returned later the same day and stole cleaning items - while on October 10 he took various products “without paying”.

Ridding, now employed once again as a groundsman, later admitted the thefts during a police interview after being shown CCTV footage of the crime in progress.

Ridding, of Station Road, Whitwell, admitted three counts of theft.

The defendant, who had no legal representation in court and was given a community order in 2018 for similar offences, told magistrates: “I’ve been doing well for four years.

“I lost my job for a while and didn’t have any way of paying for anything.

“It was a silly thing really - I’ve apologised to the Co-op, I’m back in work and I won’t be doing that again.”

Magistrates, noting Ridding was “back on track” handed him a one-year conditional discharge.

They also ordered him to pay £85 court costs, a £22 victim surcharge and £36.25 compensation to the Co-op.

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