June 7, 2022 3.00 pm This story is over 21 months old

Lincoln man jailed for shop thefts and assault

He punched someone during one incident
Lincoln man Joshua Cutter. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A Lincoln man has been given jail terms for thefts and an assault at local branches of Lincolnshire Co-op and Spar.

Joshua Cutter, 27, appeared before magistrates in Boston on Tuesday, June 7, via video link from prison for sentencing.

He had previously pleaded guilty to thefts of goods last year from the Lincolnshire Co-op shop in North Hykeham on November 17 (£54.60), November 23 (£78.05) and November 27 (£191.70), Lincolnshire Co-op on Boultham Park Road, Lincoln, on November 18 (£52.90), and Spar on Woodfield Avenue, Lincoln, on December 14 (£81.71).

Cutter also admitted an assault as part of the theft from Spar.

Prosecutor Paul Wood said sales assistant Thomas Doyle had been sweeping up when he saw Cutter and another male putting items into a bag and trying to make off without paying.

A member of the public grabbed the bag and Mr Doyle got into a grapple with Cutter outside.

Mr Doyle was punched by Cutter during the incident, said the prosecutor.

He added: “The defendant has a record for dishonesty offences – quite a substantial one.

“Most recently he was at Lincoln Crown Court for offences of burglary and received 21 months.”

Solicitor Mark McNeil said his client would have pleaded guilty to the thefts and assault earlier if he had seen CCTV footage which was not available at first.

“At the time he was very chaotic and couldn’t remember whether he had committed those offences or not,” Mr McNeil added.

Cutter, of Birchwood Avenue, was given four weeks’ custody for the thefts, to run alongside his current sentence.

And for the assault, he received eight weeks’ custody, to run consecutively.

He was ordered to pay £377.25 compensation to the shops and £100 to Mr Doyle.

There was no order for costs or victim surcharge.