Notorious Gosport thief warned it is 'highly likely' he will be jailed for burglaries despite claims of turning life around

Last May officers declared a ‘great result’ as thief Joshua Stedman was sent to prison after he stole £75 worth of electric toothbrushes and £371 worth of cosmetic items from Superdrug on Gosport High Street in March.

The 31-year-old was jailed for for those offences before being released in July.

PC Darren Graham said after the sentence: ‘This is a great result for the community and local businesses, and I am pleased that Stedman will now spend a lengthy time behind bars to prevent any further offending.’

But Stedman was back in familiar territory at Portsmouth Crown Court for separate offences that took place in April last year.

The career criminal admitted a dwelling burglary at The Avenue in Gosport on April 9 where he stole a chest of drawers containing a purse, medication, cash and other personal belongings of a value unknown.

On the same day he admitted burglary after taking paperwork from St Mary's Church on Green Road.

Then between April 10-13 Stedman entered Willmott Lane Depot where he took £200 from a tin, a hoover and hand tools.

At court he admitted the three burglary charges but Francisca Da Costa, defending, said Stedman had transformed himself since being released into society again last summer.

‘Since his release last year it is the longest period he has been out of jail for since he was 21,’ the lawyer told the court, as she pleaded for Stedman to be granted bail before his sentence hearing on May 6.

‘He has now moved to Bristol and is working as a labourer and is taking medication as a substitute for heroin.

‘He does not have time to take drugs now he is employed.’

She went on to tell the judge he was now ‘useful’ to society and said the time before his sentence was a ‘mini opportunity to show what he can do’.

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The judge, Recorder Richard Shepherd, allowed Stedman to keep his liberty until his sentence hearing.

But he warned: ‘I think it is very likely a judge will send you to prison. If I was sentencing you today, I would send you to prison. But there might be a glimmer of light with you being out of trouble.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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