A HOMELESS thief has been jailed for 15 months after stealing charity boxes belonging to a support group for people with terminal illnesses and the ambulance trust.

Jamie Barrett stole five donation boxes including one belonging to Marie Curie and SCAS (South Central Ambulance Service) from supermarkets and petrol stations across Bracknell earlier this year.

The 28-year-old appeared at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday last week June 1, and admitted a string of 11 thefts including charity boxes, shoplifting, and stealing a bike.

Jonathan Sank, prosecuting, said Barrett had 18 convictions for 59 previous offences – most of them thefts.

“He entered into Londis in Bracknell, asked staff for cigarettes and, as the staff member turned their back on him, he grabbed the charity box associated with the South Central Ambulance Service which was on the counter and nearly full,” he said.

Barrett returned to the same store days later and once again asked for cigarettes before escaping with another charity box.

He also stole charity boxes, one belonging to Marie Curie, from two separate petrol stations in Binfield, each time asking for cigarettes so the attendant would turn their back.

He admitted stealing a bicycle from the foyer of the Martins Heron Tesco along with a five shoplifting charges.

Four of the nine theft charges occurred whilst he was on bail for other burglary offences for which he was given a suspended sentence on March 11, 2016.

Sophia Wood, defending, said Barrett had sunk back into drug use after his relationship with his partner broke down.

Sentencing Barrett to 15 months behind bars, Judge John Reddihough said: “Stealing charity boxes is about as low as someone can stoop.

“You stole charity boxes from shops and other places where members of the public have made donations of money to charities.

“You have a very bad record, particularly for committing offences of theft and here we have a whole string of further such offences.

“You know it’s no excuse to say you committed these offences because you had a serious drug problem.”

Barrett was sentenced to a total of 15 months in prison after admitting four counts of theft by taking charity boxes, one count of theft from a car, theft of a pedal cycle, five counts of shoplifting, one count of failing to surrender to bail and breaching a suspended sentence.

Case Study:

South Central Ambulance have spoken of their 'shock' after Jamie Barrett stole one of their charity boxes.

They raise money for ambulance services across Bracknell and surrounding areas.

The money goes towards running the trust’s volunteer Community First Responders who operate alongside the their core NHS funded services.

Speaking after the trial, Rachel Coney, the chief executive officer of the South Central Ambulance Charity said she was shocked by the theft.

“Every penny that we raise from the public is vital in enabling the work of the fantastic volunteers who provide a lifesaving service in all our communities – often getting to patients and starting to provide treatment while the ambulance is on its way.

“These volunteers rely 100 per cent on the generosity of the public to fund their work, and donations made in collecting boxes like this are a really important part of their fundraising.

“If you are as shocked as we are by this theft and would like to donate to our volunteers, please go to www.scas.nhs.uk and hit the donate now button.”

First responders are dispatched to the most serious life threatening calls, including strokes and heart attacks, providing invaluable first aid before an ambulance arrives.