9:00am Saturday 2nd March 2013
By Amy Dyduch
A man who hid two bottles of vodka down his trousers in Teddington’s Tesco and then scrapped with a security guard has been fined and given community service.
James Hales, 20, from Hampton, pleaded guilty at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on February 27 to theft and threatening behaviour.
The court heard Hales was seen on CCTV on January 15 in Tesco in Broad Street acting strangely in the alcohol aisle.
He was seen fiddling with the security tags on the vodka before putting them down his trousers and leaving the store, setting off the alarm.
He got into a friend’s car but was removed by security guard Bilal Azam.
Hales was abusive towards Mr Azam, who was kicked in the hand as he tried to detain Hales.
The court heard there was a scrap in the street and Mr Azam was injured.
Angela Williams, prosecuting, said: “He was subsequently arrested for theft and taken to the police station.”
The court heard Hales had asked his friend to wait outside.
Mrs Williams said: “He didn’t know why but he decided to steal two bottles of vodka to sell so he could make some money.”
Hales, of Rectory Grove, was given a 12-month community order in which he must complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
He must also pay £60 compensation, but was not ordered to pay costs or a victim surcharge.
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