Dartford thief avoids prison after committing a string of offences, including stealing more than £1,000 worth of rubber mats from Darent Valley Hospital

A thief has avoided jail after committing a string of offences over a seven-month period, including stealing £62 worth of Cadbury chocolate.

One man crimewave Stephen Clarke also took £1,300 worth of mats from Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, interfered with cars and on one occasion even threatened a woman, who believed he was going to “slice her face with a knife.”

The 52-year-old of Alamein Gardens, Dartford, was charged with 13 offences.

Earlier this year he pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour, theft, six counts of shoplifting, failing to surrender to custody and four counts of vehicle interference.

He returned to Medway Magistrates’ Court on April 2, to be sentenced.

The court heard his first offence happened on August 14 in Dartford. James Nichols, prosecuting, said: “Mr Clark has stolen from a number of shops and from a hospital and has been trying a number of car door handles looking for something to steal.

“The most serious offence was when he threatened a member of the public outside a shop, causing that person to believe that he was going to slice their face with a knife.”

Magistrates were also told that on September 10, Clarke stole the external rubber mats belonging to Darent Valley Hospital, and on September 21, he stole £62.50 worth of Cadbury caramel chocolate bars from a Co-op in Dartford.

The court also heard he failed to show up for a hearing at Medway Magistrates’ Court on November 25 and five days later, he interfered with a Peugeot Boxer, a Ford Mustang and a Kia Estate vehicle with the intention to steal from inside them.

Walsh also interfered with another vehicle, a Volkswagen Touran in the town on December 9.

On December 19, he stole two blankets of an unknown value from Bargain Buys in Dartford and just 10 days later, he went back into the shop and stole two more.

He also swiped a drink and a sandwich worth £5 from a Co-op in Greenhithe on February 13, and three days later, on February 17, he returned and took two ready meals valued at £8.

Walsh’s last shoplifting offence happened at the B&M store in Dartford on March 20, when he walked out with a pair of headphones valued at £25.

Magistrates decided to jail Walsh for 12 weeks for the offences, but they suspended the term for 12 months.

He was also ordered to attend rehabilitation sessions with probation, complete a drug rehabilitation requirement and pay compensation for the stolen items, which amounted to £1,400.