A DROITWICH man admitted to the police to stealing goods worth hundreds of pounds from supermarkets saving officers from having to distinguish between him and his twin.
Paul Andrew Woodcock, of Woodmans Place, pleaded guilty at Worcester Magistrates’ Court on Friday (September 4) to shoplifting items worth more than £374 from Aldi, Sainsbury’s and the Cooperative between June 15 and July 12.
Kerry Lovegrove, prosecuting, told the court the 31-year-old was caught on CCTV stealing items from three stores which were never recovered.
During the fourth theft he left the store with goods that he had not paid for and was detained by staff.
The items taken during this incident were returned to the shop.
Woodcock admitted to the crimes when he was interviewed and told the police he did it to fund his heroin addiction.
Defence solicitor, Gary Harper, said: “Since the age of 16 he has had a drug problem. He now has a drug worker at Swanswell.
“He should be commended for his admissions for the first offences as the recognition was only that he was one of the twins.
“He cut through all that and said it was him and saved the police an awful lot of time.”
Chair of the bench, Fiona James, said: “We have taken into account your cooperation with the police and how difficult it would have been if you had not pleaded guilty.”
He was given a 12-month community order with nine months of drug rehabilitation programmes and a 40-hour activity requirement.
“We think that will help you get your life back on track because we think you have had a difficult time,” she added.
He was also fined £100 and ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge, £105 in court costs, a £180 court charge and compensation to the store whose goods were not returned.
