A SERIAL thief has avoided jail after a judge praised him for turning his life around.

James Lennon, of Oxford Road, Old Marston, Oxford, admitted three counts of theft and one count of handing stolen goods.

Jonathan Stone, prosecuting, said the 38-year-old took handbags and their contents from venues around Oxford during October and November last year.

Lennon admitted stealing from the Four Candles, in George Street, on October 23, the Jericho Tavern, in Walton Street, on November 3 and the Wahoo club, in Hythe Bridge Street, on November 17.

He also pleaded guilty to handling a stolen handbag taken from the Aziz restaurant on Cowley Road on November 28.

Mr Stone said three mobile phones and various amounts of cash were taken in the thefts, adding up to £1,455 of stolen property.

Lennon also asked for another theft committed in December to be taken into consideration.

His guilty pleas were entered during an Oxford Crown Court hearing in June.

Judge Patrick Eccles adjourned his case to give him a chance to raise money for compensation and to complete a drug rehabilitation course.

Graham Bennett, defending, told the resumed hearing on Thursday that his client was now drug free and “seems to have turned a corner”.

He added that the father-of-two now has a full-time job and is about to enter a 10k run for charity with his partner.

Judge Eccles told Lennon: “It is clear that you have worked very hard to turn your life around .

“You are a very different looking man from the one who was going around stealing handbags from pubs and clubs.”

He sentenced him to a 12-month community order with a supervision requirement and told him to pay a £100 fine, £500 compensation and £350 costs.

 

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