Christopher Welke was jailed for his 201st offence at Swansea Magistrates Court
A MAN has clocked up his 201st offence just days after being released from prison for his last conviction.
Swansea Magistrates Court heard that "prison doesn't work" for Christopher Welke, and that something needs to be done to break his cycle of offending.
Sharon Anderson, prosecuting, said that on the morning of September 22 Welke walked into Boot's in Swansea's Quadrant shopping centre and picked up seven perfume gift boxes — worth a total of £401 — and headed to the store's baby changing facility.
When he emerged some 10 minutes later he did not have the boxes.
The court heard he headed for the door but was recognised by store detectives and stopped — when the baby changing area was checked, staff found the perfumes hidden in a cupboard with their security tags and wrappers removed.
Welke, aged 34, of Windsor Road, Neath, pleaded guilty to theft when he appeared before justices.
The court heard Welke had convictions for some 200 previous offences — 134 of which were for dishonesty matters — and had only been released from his last prison sentence the week before the Boot's incident.
A probation report on Welke said he had not collected his methadone prescription after his release from jail.
Chris White, for Welke, said on the day in question his client had had a "change of heart" while half way through the commission of the theft, and had decided to leave the fragrances in the changing room rather than taking them.
The solicitor said that every time his client was released from a prison sentence he was given £46 and sent on his way with no support — and with benefits taking four-six weeks to begin and no stable accommodation, he would usually end up staying with friends who were themselves on drugs.
Mr White said: "Prison does not work for him — something needs to be done to break the cycle.
"The courts and probation need to find something to punish him and to help him."
Magistrates sentenced Welke to 20 weeks in prison, and ordered him to pay a £115 surcharge.
Read more at http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/man-commits-his-201st-offence-the-week-after-being-released-from-prison-for-number-200/story-29840040-detail/story.html#zor2Hrss0dAOZ0TI.99
Christopher Welke was jailed for his 201st offence at Swansea Magistrates Court
A MAN has clocked up his 201st offence just days after being released from prison for his last conviction.
Swansea Magistrates Court heard that "prison doesn't work" for Christopher Welke, and that something needs to be done to break his cycle of offending.
Sharon Anderson, prosecuting, said that on the morning of September 22 Welke walked into Boot's in Swansea's Quadrant shopping centre and picked up seven perfume gift boxes — worth a total of £401 — and headed to the store's baby changing facility.
When he emerged some 10 minutes later he did not have the boxes.
The court heard he headed for the door but was recognised by store detectives and stopped — when the baby changing area was checked, staff found the perfumes hidden in a cupboard with their security tags and wrappers removed.
Welke, aged 34, of Windsor Road, Neath, pleaded guilty to theft when he appeared before justices.
The court heard Welke had convictions for some 200 previous offences — 134 of which were for dishonesty matters — and had only been released from his last prison sentence the week before the Boot's incident.
A probation report on Welke said he had not collected his methadone prescription after his release from jail.
Chris White, for Welke, said on the day in question his client had had a "change of heart" while half way through the commission of the theft, and had decided to leave the fragrances in the changing room rather than taking them.
The solicitor said that every time his client was released from a prison sentence he was given £46 and sent on his way with no support — and with benefits taking four-six weeks to begin and no stable accommodation, he would usually end up staying with friends who were themselves on drugs.
Mr White said: "Prison does not work for him — something needs to be done to break the cycle.
"The courts and probation need to find something to punish him and to help him."
Magistrates sentenced Welke to 20 weeks in prison, and ordered him to pay a £115 surcharge.
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