Chester man committed more than 100 offences

Jun 4 2009 by Allison Dickinson, Chester Chronicle

A MAN who has committed more than 100 offences was spared jail so he can get help with a drug habit.

Jason Christopher Oultram, 38, of City Road, Chester appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on Thursday (June 4) where he pleaded guilty to six shoplifting offences.

He admitted stealing lager on January 27, food, lager and a magazine on April 12 and alcohol on April 13 from the One Stop store on Garden Lane, each time by concealing the items in his coat.

He also admitted taking clothing from TK Maxx on April 17, taking a set top box from B&M, Boughton and lager from Spar, Vicars Cross on May 10.

Prosecutor Rob Youds said: “He has 32 convictions for 108 offences, 66 of them for theft and like offences.”

Oultram, who was given a 12-week prison sentence in January this year, was confined to the dock during the hearing as magistrates could have given him another custodial sentence.

Defending solicitor Cerys Evans urged magistrates to consider a community penalty and access to rehabilitation professionals.

“He has been dependant on drugs for around 23 years,” she said.

“He has accumulated a tremendous amount of previous convictions but he is now 38 years old, has turned a corner and wants to sort his life out.”

He was given a 12-month community order with supervision and a nine-month drug rehabilitation order.