A BURGLAR who once stole from a collection for a schoolboy with cancer will now spend longer in prison after his latest string of crimes.

Prolific criminal Lewis Ilsley appeared on prison videolink to Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, (October 19), to admit burglary and five thefts. 

We reported earlier this year the 45-year-old broke into a Subway sandwich shop before biting a police officer. 

Those crimes came just 24 hours after magistrates had warned him if he committed another offence within 15 months he would go to jail.

That sentence was activated in February. 

Worcester News: JAILED: Lewis IlsleyJAILED: Lewis Ilsley

But it has now emerged Ilsley had done more lawbreaking in Worcester a month before.

During his latest court appearance, the court heard Ilsley stole: 

 

  • A beard trimmer of an unknown value from ASDA on January 12
  • £60 of alcohol from ASDA on January 21
  • Rump steaks worth £66.96 from Lidl on January 24
  • £104 worth of clothing and alcohol from Sainsbury's on January 31
  • £80 of alcohol from ASDA on February 3

 

Eleanor Peart, prosecuting, told the court  Ilsley also burgled the House Doctor Carpet Warehouse after being released from prison on September 7.

He stole an Apple iPhone, three sets of keys, make-up, perfume, reading glasses, sunglasses, a vape and £23.50 in cash - a total of £964 worth of items which were later recovered. 

That crime led to Ilsley being recalled to prison. 

Fergus Maxwell, defending, said he couldn't get away from the defendant's poor record of criminal offences, but asked for Ilsley to be given credit for admitting the offences. 

Dean Johnson, chairman of the magistrates bench, told Ilsley he would have eight weeks jail time added to the sentence he was serving. 

Worcester News: JAILED: Burglar and thief Lewis IlsleyJAILED: Burglar and thief Lewis Ilsley (Image: From public)

Magistrates said their reason for prison was due to the defendant ignoring previous non-custody punishments.

Ilsley was also ordered he pay compensation of a total of £277.48 split between the supermarkets.

Due to Ilsley's lack of means, and compensation taking priority, no order for court costs or victim surcharge was made. 

 

Lewis Ilsley's crimes have made national headlines

 

Ilsley made national headlines for the Subway burglary in which he smashed his way into the Shrub Hill takeaway shop using a bin and caused more than £750 worth of damage. 

And Ilsley also gained national attention in September 2019 after we reported he stole a collection tin containing £300 of donations to help Oscar Saxelby-Lee who was receiving life-saving treatment.

He later contacted the Worcester News to publicly apologise for the pain caused.