Criminal with long record took part in ‘looting of the worst kind’ during Hull riot

He joined in the ‘mindless’ raiding of shops in Hull city centre last August

A drug addict with a long history of crime got involved in “looting of the worst kind” on the day that serious violent disorder broke out in Hull city centre last August.

Serial offender Mark Stevenson had been taking drugs since the age of 18 and he had slid “further and further” into addiction over the years. He joined in the “mindlessness” of the widespread “brazen” and “empty-headed” looting, Hull Crown Court heard.

Stevenson, 53, from Hull, admitted burglary at the Lush and O2 stores on August 3. He also also admitted burglary at the Deichmann shoe shop on July 27.

The court heard that Stevenson was among the many people who were shown on CCTV pictures going into the raided shops during the day of violence and helping themselves to items. He was seen kicking backwards in a “donkey kick” to smash glass at Lush.

The total figure for repairs, lost stock, loss of business and insurance costs at Lush had been put at £31,862. It was a similar figure at O2, the court heard.

On July 27, he and another man had raided the Deichman shoes shop in Whitefriargate, Hull, but he was detained by members of the public, who had seen them break in, until the police arrived.

Stevenson had convictions for 85 previous offences, 47 of them for theft-related offences as well as burglary and handling stolen goods.

Rachel Scott, mitigating, said: “He accepts that his behaviour during all these incidents was totally disgraceful. He is totally disgusted with himself.”

Father-of-two Stevenson turned to alcohol and drugs to cope with his difficulties and he had recently been homeless. He had slid “further and further” into addiction.

“He started taking drugs at 18, blinked and here he is at 53,” said Miss Scott. “It has been a very sad existence that he has led. He is working incredibly hard while in custody.

“He is really trying to turn over a new leaf. He recognises that he is serving a life sentence in instalments. He is going to have to show that he can stay away from substances.

“He really wants to do better than he has done in the past. He is on methadone. He hopes to be free of methadone completely by the time he is released.”

Judge Mark Bury told Stevenson: “You have been addicted to drugs for many years. It has ruined your life. You have committed all sorts of different offences to fund your habit.

“Your life has revolved around getting money to fund a drug habit and, if that involves brazen burglaries such as these, so be it.”

The burglaries at Lush and O2 took place on a day when serious violent disorder was going on in the city centre. “This is looting of the worst kind, taking advantage of what’s going on around you to break into and then steal from shops,” said Judge Bury.

“The loss to the shops concerned overall is very significant when you take into account the damage done to the shop, the property that was actually stolen and the cost of insuring the property in the future.”

There was the “mindlessness” of the burglaries. “It’s just mind boggling how empty-headed that behaviour was,” said Judge Bury.

Stevenson, who had been in custody for about seven months, was jailed for two years.

Hull Daily Mail