Prolific thief from Brighton and Hove jailed for 34 months – Brighton and Hove News

A persistent and prolific thief from Brighton and Hove has been jailed for 34 months by a judge at Lewes Crown Court.

Elliot Cahill, 33, formerly of Clarendon Villas, Hove, was convicted of stealing meat, fish and other food, laundry products, jeans and other clothes from several shops over a year.

Cahill admitted 15 counts of theft, one charge of stealing drinks worth more than 800 from a restaurant and breaching a criminal behavior order.

He also breached a 21-month suspended prison sentence – and Judge Mark Van Der Zwart activated 12 months of that sentence in Lewes on Thursday (October 31).

Judge Van Der Zwart sentenced Cahill to 16 months in prison, to be served consecutively, for breaching the criminal behavior order which banned him from North Street, Brighton.

He was banned from North Street for repeatedly targeting the White Company, Oliver Bonas and Boots, entering and helping himself to goods before leaving without paying.

The judge also sentenced Cahill to a further six months in prison, to be served consecutively, for the theft of meat, prawns and salmon, for a total of 34 months.

He was given concurrent, rather than consecutive, sentences for the remaining offences, and at one point the judge told him: “You’re lucky.”

Gareth Burrows, defending, said that while Cahill admitted breaching the criminal behavior order imposed by the court, his bank branch was in North Street – and it was the only branch for miles around.

Mr Burrows said: “It is clearly persistent offending but at the lowest end the court will see.”

Mr Burrows also said: “The offense would not have crossed the custodial threshold if it had been isolated.”

He added: “This is unsophisticated and unplanned entering and exiting stores, often in full view of staff and CCTV, with security tags still attached.”

Mr Burrows said: “This is essentially a persistent theft by someone with a long and ingrained drug addiction.

“He is someone who had a difficult childhood in the care system. He didn’t have positive family influences and became addicted to drugs at an early age.”

Nikki James, prosecuting on behalf of the probation service, said the court had previously given Cahill community sentences, including residential placement for drug treatment, when he received a suspended prison sentence. He also stopped showing up for his probation appointments.

But he left, she said, adding: “While initially committed, the level of contact with probation consistently failed. He is no longer suitable for a community sentence.”

Lydia Stephens, prosecuting for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said Cahill had 49 convictions for more than 120 offences.

While he mostly shoplifted, he entered Raffaello, the restaurant at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Brighton Waterfront, in Bartholomew Square, Brighton, and stole £870 worth of cash and drinks.

In Churchill Square, he stole more than £860 worth of clothes from Urban Outfitters and, on another occasion, more than £600 worth of jeans from Levi’s.

He repeatedly targeted branches of the Co-op, in Old Londo Road, Patcham, and Blatchington Road, Hove, often stealing meat. But he also took Fairy Liquid and laundry gel. And he also stole from Waitrose in Western Road, Brighton. The value was usually in three digits.

Judge Van Der Zwart said: “(You) have 49 previous convictions, totaling 123 offences. Your first was when you were 14 and since then you have been a very frequent offender.

“Most of your offending has been by stealing things. Most of these crimes were thefts, but you also have convictions for burglary of homes and commercial property.

“Sometimes you bully people too. Abuse of controlled drugs appears to be the major cause of your crime.

“Over the years you have had many different types of custodial and community sentences designed to punish but also to divert you from crime and help you to stop using drugs.

“This included a court order imposed on you in 2022 which banned you from going to a part of Brighton and Hove where you committed many of these offences.

“None of these sentences worked.

“In February this year, you appeared before me for breaching this court order, for multiple counts of theft, breach of bail and committing offenses while on a suspended prison sentence.

“I was convinced that, as no other sentence had worked, a place at a residential rehabilitation service for people who wanted to stop abusing substances was worth a try.

“I sentenced you to a further suspended prison term and placed you on a drug rehabilitation requirement, subject to residential placement.

“However, within a few weeks you left the placement, against its rules. You came back but left again and then went no contact.

“In April this year I heard testimony from a Change Grow Live staff member and I was convinced to give you another chance because despite you leaving your job and despite other offenses you have committed in 2023, you have made positive progress. in dealing with your addiction.

“I delayed sentencing to see if you could work the placement and stay out of trouble, but you couldn’t.

“As far as I can tell, you are either unwilling or unable to take advantage of the opportunities the court has given you.

“Despite the positive steps you took earlier this year to address your addiction, your offending has continued almost unabated.

“As soon as you are given a chance by the court, you throw it away and commit more crimes.

“You think you can help yourself to shoplifting as many items as you can grab and run with to sell for money to buy or trade for drugs to feed your addiction.

“There is growing public concern about flagrant theft. The public and shopkeepers of Brighton and Hove need to be protected from you. There can be no more chances.

“I hope that during the custodial sentence that I am now required to impose, you will be able to make progress in addressing the reasons why you offended.”

The judge said: “Most offences, if they stood alone, would not attract immediate custodial sentences. They are all unsophisticated and unplanned.”

But the number of offenses was an aggravating factor and the judge imposed prison sentences of up to almost three years, taking into account totality and proportionality.

He also imposed a new criminal behavior order banning Cahill from North Street and Churchill Square, Brighton, and from every Co-op and Waitrose branch in Brighton and Hove.

He was also banned from being in any shop in Sussex if the owner or any employee or security staff asked him to leave.