Shoplifting trio took £2k worth of goods from Durham sportswear store

Durham Crown Court heard they hoped to grab items from a large sportswear store to sell to enable them to buy Christmas gifts for relatives.

Patrick Monghan, also known as Stokes, Shane Stokes and a 16-year-old accomplice all entered JD Sports, at the Arnison Centre, Durham, at 1.30pm on Friday December 23, last year.

The court was told they selected items from the display racks and either put them on or attempted to hide them within their clothing.

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Christopher Bevan, prosecuting, said Monghan was seen with several items placed under his arms, while the youth put selected goods down his shorts and Shane Stokes placed some inside clothing which he had already stolen earlier that day.

As the trio attempted to walk out of the store with their collective haul of stolen goods, they were challenged by the manager, who attempted to retrieve items from them.

But, Mr Bevan said she was simply pushed in the face, out of the way, by Shane Stokes.

Despite being briefly restrained, all three left the premises and got into a Volkswagen Golf, which pulled away from the centre car park.

Police were informed of the crime and mobile officers were soon able to catch up with and stop the Golf, before arresting the trio from the car.

The vehicle was searched and about £2,000-worth of stolen clothing from JD Sports was recovered and returned to the store.

But the court heard many of the stolen items had their security tags forcibly removed, leaving holes within the fabric, and so were not considered sale-able.

Mr Bevan said on reviewing cctv in the store the trio could be seen in the premises for less than 15 minutes, before taking the haul of sportswear.

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Monghan, of Lebre Park, County Londonderry, in Northern Ireland, who was 18 at the time, and is now aged 19, went before magistrates with 26-year-old Shane Stokes and the 16-year-old co-accused, on Boxing Day, when they each admitted theft.

Shane Stokes, of St Dunstans, Milton Keynes, also admitted assault of the shop manager.

He was bailed but failed to turn up for the crown court sentencing hearing.

Recorder Tom Moran, who said it was, “not surprising” given his criminal history, issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

By committing the theft offence, it put Monghan in breach of a suspended sentence order imposed at the court in September for a robbery at an Easington Co-op store.

He was remanded in custody by the magistrates on December 26.

Jennifer Coxon, in mitigation, told the sentencing hearing that Monghan, who is related to Shane Stokes, lived a “transient lifestyle”, between his wider family in Northern Ireland and his father in the Scottish Borders, and, so, has not completed any the unpaid work element of the suspended sentence order imposed in September.

Miss Coxon told the court the JD Sports offence was committed due to, “financial reasons”.

“As it was so close to Christmas, their plan was to sell the stolen items for money to buy presents for family members.”

Miss Coxon said Monghan was aware he was likely to be given a term of custody, his first such sentence.

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Recorder Moran told Monghan there were, “numerous aggravating features” about the case, specifically the fact he was in breach of the suspended sentence order and that a youth was recruited to accompany them on their shoplifting mission.

Imposing an 18-month sentence in a Young Offenders’ Institution, Recorder Moran added that it was “unrealistic” to seek costs or compensation from Monghan, given his circumstances.

The hearing was told the16-year-old accomplice in the theft is to appear before a youth court in due course.