Serial burglar from Southsea who was chased over train track before brandishing knife is jailed

It was the most serious of a spree of burglaries and frauds committed by notorious Sonnie Marsh across the area, who was locked up at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday.

The 23-year-old admitted seven counts of burglary, seven counts of fraud by false representation and one count of handling stolen goods. Five other offences he admitted were also taken into account.

Marsh, of Victoria Road North, carried out his campaign of criminality during a five-month spell from August 19 last year through to January 5.

His brazen thefts saw him raid a children’s charity box belonging to Ickle Pickles from the Blue Reef Aquarium at Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, on January 2.

That offence meant he was in breach of a suspended sentence he was given in November for burglary and assaulting an emergency worker.

But prior to this, the court heard how Marsh’s ‘catalogue of offending’ had seen him break into businesses in Southsea and Liphook to take purses and wallets.

The most serious offence occurred on August 21 at pizza restaurant Guido’s in Liphook after he was spotted stealing cash by a female chef.

‘She chased the defendant who ran up the road to the railway station in Liphook,’ prosecutor Nicholas Hall said.

‘She chased him onto the platform before he ran over the track. She followed him but the defendant then pulled out a knife and threatened her with it.’

Marsh then fled.

Judge William Ashworth said: ‘The member of staff should be commended for chasing you. In the end you had to pull out a knife to stop her.’

The court heard Marsh also took a bank card from a Portsmouth resident before withdrawing £350 in cash, burgled Portsmouth College, stole £250 from another charity tin from a Winchester pub and tried to break into another school in Winchester.

Defence barrister William Goss said Marsh, who has 30 convictions for 73 offences, was ‘not a devious man’ but was merely an ‘opportunistic thief’ who had a history of drug addictions.

Mr Goss added: ‘The offences were not planned or premeditated but were built on the toxic foundations of his life. His mother died of a drug overdose when he was young. He had an appalling start to life.’

The lawyer revealed Marsh had told him: ‘My whole life is a misery.’

Judge Ashworth acknowledged Marsh’s troublesome upbringing had ‘impacted’ on his offending before jailing him to three years and four months. ‘There are a lot of victims here and the public need protection,’ the judge said.

After the sentencing, PC Kirsty Watts from Hampshire Constabulary’s Operation Hawk team, said: ‘This is a fantastic result for the communities, and those individuals, affected by the crimes committed by Marsh. We’re pleased that the judge handed down a sentence befitting of his crimes.

‘Marsh survived on committing these crimes until we were able to apprehend him and put a stop to his offending. Burglary, of any kind, is a terribly intrusive crime and we hope that this shows communities across Hampshire that burglars like Marsh will face justice.’

SEE ALSO: Police hunt for burglar who stole child’s electric car

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news online - as well as fewer adverts, access to our digital edition and mobile app.

Our trial offer starts at just £2 a month for the first two months.