Man in court with 517 previous convictions has ‘appalling and atrocious’ criminal record
Man in court with 517 previous convictions has ‘appalling and atrocious’ criminal records.
Andrew Davies has 517 previous convictions
A man with 517 previous convictions has been described as having an “appalling and atrocious” criminal record.
Andrew Davies, 43, has been jailed after he was caught trying to steal from a restaurant in Cardiff Bay, Wales, on multiple occasions.
Davies’ lawyer said he had a record that was both “appalling” and “atrocious” as he was jailed once again.
Davies’ attempts at stealing from the venue came during a period where he narrowly avoided prison on several occasion.
WalesOnline reported that Davies is known as a serial thief who became addicted to heroin as a child and spent his lifetime in and out of the criminal justice system.
They added that the prosecutor Nicholas Evans told Cardiff Magistrates Court that a “strange-looking” man had been seen at 6.30pm descending a flight of stairs in The Dock with bottles under his jacket.
The court heard that a concerned member of the public informed the restaurant who later found out Davies had stolen three bottles of vodka.
Davies reportedly returned to the scene days later after stealing jackets and t-shirts from local shops.
The court also heard that Davies admitted three counts of theft, attempted burglary and admitted burglary.
Of the 517 offences on his record, 355 are reportedly for dishonesty.
Speaking to the magistrates, his solicitor Oliver Jenkins said: “I am the first to recognise he has an atrocious record. He perhaps has the worst record you will have seen.
“He recognises that is an appalling record and cannot be excused. His life has been blighted by addiction and unfortunately, he has been a heroin addict from childhood.”
Mr Jenkins added: “He has beaten heroin, receiving a Buvidal injection monthly which holds the addiction at bay.
“But in recent years he has replaced heroin with alcohol, hence the bottles of vodka. He has shown in the past he is capable of beating addiction and is desperate to do so.”
He added: “His sister Nicola passed away after struggling with lung cancer and it is her funeral on Friday this week.
£Unfortunately the loss of his sister triggered a relapse and all these offences occurred over a three-day period when he was dealing with that. She was his one remaining family member.”
Mr Jenkins also updated the magistrates on Davies progress with alcohol treatment which he said had not begun.
He added: “You could find it would be unjust to activate immediate custody because the treatment for that alcohol addiction, which as District Judge Steve Harmes rightly highlighted as the cause for his offending, hasn’t started yet.
As of next week, he is due to start the Bridge programme, which involves a blocker. If he were to consume alcohol while taking that substance it would make him violently ill. Of course, you could impose immediate custody but what would that achieve?
“He has been in stable accommodation for nine months, and that would be lost if custody was imposed today. He would then be released homeless.”
Presiding Justice Clare Byrne jailed Davies for 10 months and ordered him to pay £154 for a victim services surcharge.