A MAN from Wrexham with an “appalling record of previous offending” has been jailed after stealing clothes and items of food from shops in the city.

Richard Baldini, 36, of Maes Hyfryd, was sentenced to two years imprisonment at Mold Crown Court today (July 19).

He had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of theft, and sentencing was passed in his absence after he refused to leave his cell where he had been remanded.

Jade Tufail, prosecuting, told the court that on February 23, Baldini entered the Sports Direct shop on Henblas Street, selected five t-shirts from a rack, and left without attempting to pay for them.

The t-shirts were valued at a total of £110.95, and this offence pre-dated the imposition of a 18-month suspended sentence which Baldini later received.

On May 8, after the suspended sentence had been issued to him, Baldini stole from the Aldi supermarket on Ruthin Road twice that day.

At 1.30pm, he placed various joints of meat into a basket, before leaving the store without attempting to pay for them.

He was followed by staff who managed to retrieve some of the items, but made off with some joints valued at a total of £53.50.

Several hours later, Baldini returned to the supermarket and placed joints of lamb into a bag before leaving, after which he was assisted by an unknown male.

On May 10, he again entered Aldi, appearing to be in the company of an unknown male, when he filled a big with joints of meat valued at £100.

Again, he left without making an attempt to pay for the goods.

Baldini was arrested on May 25; when interviewed, he admitted all of the thefts.

Ms Tufail said he has an “extensive conviction record” with 44 convictions to Baldini’s name in total.

Alexandra Carrier, defending, conceded that her mitigation could only be “quite limited” in Baldini’s case.

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His guilty pleas to all four charges, she said, were his best form of defence.

Sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull, who told Ms Carrier: “I sympathise with your situation”, issued a six-month concurrent sentence, as well as activating the 18-month suspended sentence in full.

Recorder Bull said: “This is a defendant not prepared to conform to the rules of society. He has received all sorts of sentences and has been given help time and time again.

“He has refused to come to court today, as he refused to come to court the last time this sentencing was listed.

“He has an appalling record of previous offending, (and) he has failed, totally, to engage with the probation service.”

Baldini will also pay a statutory surcharge within three months of his release from prison.