Supermarket sweep ends with hefty fine

Stuart Nicholson, 45, of Armthorpe Caravan Park, Doncaster, admitted two counts of theft from Aldi in Wath upon Dearne on 5th and 26th March.

Rotherham magistrates heard that on the first occasion Nicholson left with a trolley full of goods worth around £200. CCTV footage showed he was with a woman and child, and they made off in a car.

A few weeks later the trio returned but staff spotted them and gave chase. Nicholson once again left the store with a trolley-full, this time worth £300, but he abandoned it.

In mitigation the court heard he had bought a car off a travelling family and had been ‘pressured’ into committing the thefts as a way of paying them back.

Nicholson was fined £92, made to pay court costs of £40 and a £20 victim surcharge.