Man stuck in 'homelessness, drug use and incarceration' cycle gets lifeline after £900 John Lewis theft

Paul Anderson has appeared in court

A prolific Leeds thief who targeted a city centre restaurant before stealing hundreds of pounds worth of Polo tops from John Lewis has narrowly avoided prison.

Paul Anderson had not long been released from prison when he was caught out again. Leeds Crown Court heard on Thursday, October 8, that Anderson, 42, stole from a number of places before being arrested.

Prosecutor Robert Galley told the court his stealing spree started on March 23 this year at a storage area in Sweet Street, near Holbeck.

He said: "The footage shows two suspects - the defendant and another initially in the bike storage and bins area. They had come across a landing area and started to bag up what seemed to be electrical products and riding away on two bikes that were there.

"The second matter relates to the end of the month, the 31st of March at Da Vito in York Place, Leeds. The main doors were smashed at around 5am. The two suspects - the defendant and another - stole an iPad and bottles of whiskey worth between £500 and £600.

"Blood was deposited at the scene on a glass cabinet. The defendant was detected as a result of that. There was around a £1,000 lost of trade and an impact on members of staff."

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The court heard that Anderson and another person then targeted the John Lewis store in the city centre twice. The first time, on May 30, £686 worth of items were taken, and he was identified by an officer who looked at the CCTV.

On June 2, he and another person returned, this time taking Polo-type shirts costing a total of £250.

Mr Galley said: "He was under suspicion and by the sixth of June he was seen in Leeds city centre and was approached by a police officer and informed he was wanted. He did not agree and said he had only just been released from prison, which was true.

"The officer made to handcuff him and he pulled his hand upwards to his open mouth. Concerned he was going to bite him, the officer hit him three times and he was detained and arrested."

After being charged with burglary, shop theft and resisting arrest, Anderson failed to turn up to the magistrates' court twice after being bailed. He eventually went on to admit the offences.

The court heard he had previous convictions on his record for shop theft and burglary of a non-dwelling.

Mitigating, Tom Doyle said: "His story is a sad one. He committed a few offences when he was young and then there was a long gap. Then his offending has blown up, so to speak, since 2023. He does have all of the hallmarks of somebody stuck in the quagmire of homelessness, drug use, incarceration and homelessness upon release."

The court heard Anderson had a successful construction business, but following the breakdown of his relationship, and the knock-on effect of that, he lost that and his home.

Mr Doyle said: "He has spiralled out of control. The business fell apart and he became homeless and turned to drugs to help him cope and the rest is history. He does want to get clean. There has been two attempts to get him on drug rehabilitation in the past.

"His lost his 11-month-old son in November last year. It is a sad loss to him and caused him to spiral out of control and get back on drugs. He feels a great deal of shame about this entire situation. How has somebody who once, and for a long time, led a law-abiding and successful life has found himself falling into a proverbial pit?

"There are signs he can achieve stability and abstinence...I ask the court to give him the opportunity to nip this in the bud once and for all."

Recorder Catherine Silverton handed Anderson a sentence of 16 months, suspended for two years, during which he must complete a nine-month drug rehabilitation requirement and a probation requirement.