Alcoholic is given a chance (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Alcoholic is given a chance

A MAN who stole a chicken has been offered a carrot to earn himself a lighter sentence. Alcoholic Paul O'Sullivan, 41, of Beech Avenue, Pinehurst pleaded guilty to the theft of the cooked chicken worth £6.16 from Tesco on August 2.

His sentencing was put off at Swindon magistrates court yesterday to see how he gets on with a thirteen-week course intended to help him kick his addiction to alcohol.

District judge Simon Cooper told O'Sullivan that if he does well on the Salvation Army-run course, which starts on Tuesday at Gloucester House in Highworth, his sentence would be lighter.

DJ Cooper said: "I have decided to defer sentence on you.

"That means I am going to wait until you have finished at Gloucester House to see how you have got on.

"If you get on well then it is more likely to be a more lenient sentence."

O'Sullivan is also due to be sentenced for a breach of a conditional discharge and a failure to comply with a Community Rehabilitation Order.

He will be back at Swindon magistrates court on December 8.