Thief is jailed for race abuse (From York Press)

Thief is jailed for race abuse

8:13am Tuesday 18th September 2012 in News By Megi Rychlikova, megi.rychlikova@thepress.co.uk

A RACIST thief has been jailed for 22 weeks for his outburst at a York store while serving a suspended sentence for other offences.

Steven Martin Innes, 25, smashed a window at Jag Aujla’s Beckfield Lane store three days after he had been aggressive towards the shopkeeper.

Nine days earlier, magistrates had given Innes a suspended prison sentence for shop theft, aggravated car snatching and breaching a non-molestation order.

But after subsequently hearing about his crimes against Mr Aujla, they locked him up.

Police Sergeant Ed Noble, of York Safer Neighbourhood Team, said afterwards: “I am pleased with the sentence that was handed down by the court.

“I hope that Innes’s arrest reassures people who may be subjected to this type of offence that we take their concerns seriously and will deal robustly with offenders to bring them to justice.”

Innes, of Ostman Road, Acomb , originally denied charges of criminal damage and a racially aggravated public order offence.

But after three days in jail on remand, he changed his mind and pleaded guilty to both.

York magistrates jailed him for six weeks for the offences involving the shopkeeper and in addition ordered him to serve the suspended sentences which their colleagues had passed on August 14 for a series of offences that included stealing two bottles of wine from the Co-op store close to Mr Aujla’s shop.

Innes made his outburst against Mr Aujla on August 23 and three days later, smashed a shop door window, causing damage that was estimated to cost £500 to replace.

He was arrested on August 29 and stood before York magistrates the next day when he denied the charges and was remanded in custody.

He changed his plea to guilty three days later.