Reading Magistrates' Court: Newbury thief sent to prison

A JEWEL thief has been jailed after blowing his last chance at freedom.

Last December the 46-year-old was given a suspended prison sentence instead of being locked up for stealing a Mulberry handbag containing an iPhone, Tiffany bracelet, three rings and a purse, together worth £4,220, from Sheetal Smith in Newbury.

The theft meant Jason Lee Benson, of Newtown Road, Newbury, was in breach of an existing suspended sentence order for possessing a knife in public.

Mr Benson was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment, suspended, once more, for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay Ms Smith £200 in compensation and to undergo treatment for drug addiction.

But Mr Benson responded by dodging his mandatory appointments with the probation service.

And so on Wednesday, July 13, he was brought back to court, where he admitted failing, without a reasonable excuse, to engage with probation on five occasions in April and May.

This time, the court activated the suspended sentences.

Mr Benson was sent straight to prison for 22 weeks.