Prolific thief whose 'ink had not dried' on shop-robbery sentence jailed for Leeds Co-op raid
A thief labelled as “prolific” by a judge has been jailed for returning to his criminal habits within weeks of escaping immediate custody.
Judge Tom Bayliss KC said the “ink was barely dry” on a suspended sentence order handed to Daniel Feeley when he tried to steal £141 worth of meat and chocolate from Co-op on New York Street in Leeds city centre.
His 21-month suspended sentence was activated in full, and he was given a further three months for the Co-op incident, making a total of 24 months’ jail.
Leeds Crown Court heard that 39-year-old Feeley was given the suspended sentence earlier on March 5 for a shop robbery.
Shortly after 12.30pm on April 10, he entered the Co-op, brazenly filled a bag with chocolate and meat and put it under his clothes before trying to leave, prosecutor James Yearsley told the court.
Feeley, of Sissons Road, Middleton, has 49 previous convictions for 131 offences. More than 70 are for theft-related incidents.
He appeared in court via video link from HMP Hull, where he has been on remand since his arrest.
Mitigating, Michael Walsh said Feeley had no intention of stealing that day but had bumped into people to whom he owed money, so they asked him to shoplift.
Mr Walsh said: “He acted foolishly and criminally.”
But Judge Bayliss was in no mood for showing mercy as he told Feeley: “You are a prolific thief and have been stealing for years.”
He said that even Feeley himself must have been “astonished” to receive a suspended sentence for the shop robbery.
Judge Bayliss added: “Within five weeks or thereabouts you were out stealing again. There’s little to mitigate this case.”