Judge releases heroin addict charged with 145 thefts
Judge Martin Picton of Gloucester Crown Court, England, today told a 24-year-old heroin addict and compulsive burglar that his offences called for “years” in prison, but the judge decided to give the man charged with 145 separate thefts “one last big chance” and released him anyway.
Serial offender Dean Weaver, 24, has stolen from homes, cars and businesses in a prolific crime spree to feed his heroin habit.
Judge Martin Picton said Weaver had caused his victims ‘a lot of harm’ and that his crimes deserved ‘years’ in prison.
But he then deferred sentence for three months, telling Weaver that if he stayed out of trouble he would not go to jail at all.
Predictably, the decision sparked anger and disgust from Mr Weaver’s victims and earned a rebuke from the local MP.
Get this: The judge thinks he’s being courageous.
[Judge Picton] told Weaver at Gloucester Crown Court: ‘I am taking a big chance on you because these are serious offences which caused a lot of harm.
I’d say the people of Gloucestershire are taking an even bigger chance.
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