A serial thief with a drug problem stole more than £2,000 worth of items from various shops in order to support his own addiction. He told a judge his behaviour was “embarrassing and shameful” and he wants to be a better father to his children.
Guissepi Depaolo, 38, carried out a burglary at the Trago Mills store in Merthyr Tydfil on July 12 last year when he broke into the garden centre area of the store and took a till containing £163 in cash. He caused £400 worth of damage in the process and was identified on CCTV.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard the defendant carried out a number of thefts in the following months. On August 3 last year, he stole two mountain bikes from Sports Direct in Merthyr Tydfil worth £1,100 using bolt cutters. A further theft took place at a Co-op store in Bryncoch, where he stole £81 worth of tobacco and smoking items following an argument with a staff member.
On September 16, Depaolo stole food worth between £30 and £40 from Tesco Express in Cardiff. There were around five thefts from the Tesco Superstore in Aberdare, including £220 of homeware, a hoover and candles worth £220, groceries and homeware worth £179, various items worth £100 and a Braun trimmer, meat and groceries worth £198. The total value of the thefts and damage caused by the defendant came to £2,472.
Depaolo, of John Street, Aberdare, pleaded guilty to one count of burglary and eight counts of theft. The court heard he has multiple previous convictions for dishonesty with 15 offences of theft and five offences of burglary.
Representing himself, the defendant told the judge he has been in trouble from a young age and described his previous convictions as “embarrassing and shameful”. He said: “I’ve spent my adult life in prison. I regret everything what I have done and if I could change it I would. I have had a drug problem for 20 years and I’ve never had help with that. Whilst in custody I’ve had a drug worker and been working to sort out my issues. I have two kids and my behaviour is having a big impact on their lives… I want to be a better parent to my children.”
Sentencing, Judge Paul Hobson said the defendant had shown some “insight” into his offending and the reasons behind it. He sentenced Depaolo to a total sentence of 24 months imprisonment.
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