AN Ipswich crook who has 180 offences under his belt has won his appeal to get out of jail.Adrian Pitcher was jailed by South East Suffolk Magistrates for two months for two thefts and twice failing to surrender to bail.

By Jo Macdonald

AN Ipswich crook who has 180 offences under his belt has won his appeal to get out of jail.

Adrian Pitcher was jailed by South East Suffolk Magistrates for two months for two thefts and twice failing to surrender to bail.

He was also sentenced to a further six months as part of an unexpired two year sentence, imposed for attempting to supply heroin.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that the 35-year-old father of four has a record of 181 offences mainly shoplifting and dishonesty, for which he has faced 30 separate sentences.

However, last May while on licence from prison for the drug offence, the former heroin addict stole a £130 telephone from Tesco.

He failed to surrender to bail and was arrested on October 13 when he stole two digital telephones worth £200 from Tesco. He then failed to surrender to bail again.

Pitcher, of the YMCA in Norwich Road, admitted the four offences.

His barrister told the court he stole the first telephone to replace one of his friend's he had broken. He said that the second theft was to help out a heroin addict who was desperate for drugs.

Pitcher believed the police would either arrest him at his YMCA address or at Alston Furniture Manufacturers, where he works as a loader, the court heard.

Judge Nicholas Beddard and two Magistrates allowed Pitcher's appeal and replaced the two month sentence with 180 hours community service. The six month unexpired jail term was quashed.

Judge Beddard said if community service proved impossible following assessment due to Pitcher's ill health, a four month curfew order would replace it.