THE fate of an Isle of Wight man with an extensive criminal record, hangs in the balance after he stole items worth more than £900 from supermarkets while out of prison, on licence.

Andrew Hill, of Slade Road, Ryde, admitted to four counts of shoplifting, when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on Friday (July 12).

The 33-year-old, with a criminal record of 57 convictions for 159 offences, pleaded guilty to the following shoplifting charges:

  •  Theft of a barbecue, worth £299, from Asda, Newport, on April 15.
  • Theft of 21 items of make up, worth £200, from Tesco Express, Ryde, on May 16.
  • Theft of a razor, two greetings cards and pork steaks, worth £78.75, from Tesco Express, Ryde, on May 23.
  • Theft of 18 Yankee candles, worth £350, from Sainsbury's, Newport, on June 8.

Hill, who was jailed for 30 months for assaults, flouting a restraining order and criminal damage in 2022, was out on licence at the time of his latest offending, Lauren Stone, prosecuting, told the bench.

For Hill — a recovering drug addict — Nick Muir said his client was released from prison in January, stayed in a hostel in Weymouth for a time, then returned to the Isle of Wight, homeless. 

"He had no income, so stole to buy food and get by," Mr Muir explained.

Presiding magistrate, Andre Usborne, told Hill: "You went on a bit of a spree while you were out on licence."

Hill replied: "I only did it because I was homeless."

Hill was handed bail, to reappear for sentencing, on September 20, on the condition he does not enter any of the supermarkets named.