Fine for man who stole food because he 'couldn't stand to see dog go hungry'

61-year-old caught shoplifting from Co-op over summer

A Douglas man who stole food so his dog didn’t go hungry has been fined £200.

Patrick Henry Smith, of Osborne Grove, was sentenced at Douglas Courthouse today (14 September).

The 61-year-old admitted stealing from the Co-op in Ramsey on three occasions over the summer.

He also admitted being drunk and incapable, on Waterloo Road, on 19 June.

The court heard Smith had entered the supermarket on 17 July stealing a packet of bacon and a bottle of vodka valued at £24.

Four days later, on 21 July, he returned – this time taking tuna and a jar of coffee worth £8.

Just over a month later he took a variety of items – including corned beef, salmon, tuna and a cooking sauce – worth £13.

On each occasion he made no attempt to pay; CCTV was reviewed and Smith was arrested and interviewed by police.

He told officers on the first occasion he’d made a ‘rash decision’ to steal because he ‘fancied a bacon sandwich’ and on the second because he didn’t have the money to pay for the goods.

Smith told officers on the third occasion, on 23 August, he’d gone in with the intention of stealing because he had no money and was hungry.

Smith’s advocate described his client’s offending as ‘something of a sad situation’ adding that the MS sufferer was also a carer to a family member leaving his finances ‘particularly depleted’.

“He didn’t have the money to pay for the goods,” he told the court: “The tuna is for his dog. He has at times been going hungry to make sure his dog eats.”

Revealing the German Shepherd ‘loves tuna’ the advocate added: “He couldn’t stand to see her go hungry.”

Fining Smith, and instructing him to pay compensation to the Co-op, Magistrates also ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £125.