Worksop man burgled Italian bistro causing £3,600 worth of damage and stole cash and booze

Andrew Smith broke into the AIitalia Bistro, on Bridge Place, on the night of January 9, said prosecutor Freddie Sail.

Smith used a screwdriver to prise open a fire door, but left his own blood on a shutter.

After his arrest he told police officers he was "skint" and his partner had gone into rehab.

The court heard he caused an estimated £3,600 of damage to the restaurant and made off with £1,200 of alcohol and cash from the till.

He later sold the items he stole for £30 to £40, Mr Sail added. The offence was aggravated because other people were involved.

The court heard Smith, aged 51, has 25 previous convictions for 61 offences, 25 of which are theft-related. He was convicted of non-dwelling burglaries in 2008 and 2014 .

Matthew Taylor, mitigating, said Smith's last court appearance was for shop theft in 2017 and he entered his guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

He asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Smith, of St John's Court, Worksop, admitted the non-dwelling burglary when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Wednesday.

Magistrates decided the offence, which has a starting point of two years in custody and a range of between one and five years, exceeded their powers of sentence.

Smith was given bail, on condition he does not return to the bistro, to appear at Nottingham Crown Court, on March 30 when he will be sentenced.

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