Bassetlaw man ‘went off the rails’ and into month-long shoplifting spree

Nathan Highfield stole £1,020 of meat, bananas and washing powder from Aldi, Co-op and Morrisons, in Retford, between March 27 and April 22, prosecutor Nicole Baughan told Mansfield Magistrates’ Court.

Highfield, aged 32, of Northfield Way, Retford, admitted seven thefts.

Anna Sood, mitigating, said there was a long gap in his offending since he was in trouble in 2016.

She said he began offending “all of a sudden” after he and his partner of 17 years spit up and his grandfather died.

“He went completely off the rails,” she said. “He was completely in self-destruct mode. He would go to prison and that would be the end of it.”

But happily, Highfield and his partner have reconciled and he is back in the family home, she said.

He has been referred for grief counselling and is hopeful he will get back in the job market soon.

“He doesn’t have any drink or drug issues,” Ms Sood added. “It is quite clear he can stay out of trouble when he wants to.”

Sentencing, magistrates told Highfield: “That’s quite a lot of stuff you have stolen in a short space of time. The cumulative effect moves it over into the custodial bracket.”

He received a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay compensation and carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

“You had a blip and now you’re paying the price,” he was told. “You have been a silly boy.”