Wanted man is found and jailed after he complained his bike had been stolen

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on September 4 how convicted thief Carl Sherman, 30, of King Street, Clay Cross, had been wanted by police on a warrant after he failed to comply with a suspended prison sentence.

But after Sherman had failed to attend probation meetings and moved from Old Whittington, Chesterfield, back to his mother’s address ay Clay Cross he managed to elude police from November, 2017.

Defence solicitor Ben Strelley, who urged magistrates not to activate Sherman’s suspended prison sentence, said: “He suffered the loss of his sister, he moved back to his mother’s address and he’s had the blinkers on and the last thing he would have done if he was evading police on purpose would have been to go to the police station.”

Sherman admitted breaching his suspended prison sentence order on or after September 26 by failing to attend appointments.

Mr Strelley conceded that Sherman who has a lengthy history of theft offences and has had difficulties with drugs, had originally been on a community order but did not comply with an unpaid work requirement and was subsequently made subject to a suspended prison sentence.

However, Mr Strelley argued that Sherman has not been dealt with for any other offences over the last 12 months and just prior to the breaching his suspended sentence a recommendation had been made that he should see a mental health team.

Mr Strelley added: “With no disrespect to Mr Sherman, he is someone of low intelligence and his level of understanding is low and his existence has been simplistic where he has been homeless for long periods and he’s used illicit substances and these have been two factors linked to his offending.”

He said Sherman had moved back to his mother’s home to support her after his sister died and he now has stable accommodation and he is currently clean of drugs.

Mr Strelley claimed Sherman forgot about the suspended prison sentence order and when his bicycle had been stolen he reported it to police who checked his details and arrested him on an outstanding warrant.

Finally, Mr Strelley argued that if Sherman is to be given custody he will be in danger of mixing with people using drugs and he will fall back into his old habits.

However magistrates, who felt Sherman has shown a wilful and persistent non-compliance with court orders, opted to activate his suspended prison sentence and he was jailed with four weeks of custody.