Telford drug addict stole cafe's charity jar

Steven Ronald George Bebb was identified by police specialists by his thumb print after they were called to a burglary at the Kashmir Cafe in Madeley, Telford.

Mr John Dove, prosecuting, said the owner of the cafe and his brother had noticed that the jar and a sound system were missing when they opened the building on September 2.

He described the charity tin as being a plastic box with a hole cut in the top, where staff had donated their own money over several weeks.

The container had been kept out of sight and held about £60 of cash, added Mr Dove.

Bebb admitted a charge of burglary.

"Theft from a charity tin is probably one of the meanest offences that can be committed. The defendant is effectively depriving that charity of the money that the staff had been putting into that tin over a period of time," said Mr Dove.

Following his arrest Bebb, 32, gave no comment in interview, the court was told.

Magistrates were told that Bebb, of Bembridge, Brookside, was nearing the end of a 12-week prison sentence for other theft matters.

Mr Paul Nicholas, for Bebb, said that the defendant had not been aware of the nature of the tin when he had stolen it.

He was "the archetypal defendant caught in a vicious circle of criminality" who had been a drug addict and in and out of prison for more than 10 years, said Mr Nicholas.

However, during his latest prison sentence Bebb had requested to move to the drug wing of Winson Green Prison and on to the enhanced wing where he had to pass regular drug tests to remain there.

Magistrates adjourned sentencing the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. It will next be heard on November 20.