[kellyhound]

A burglar who said he wanted to repent his sins as a born-again Christian has appeared in court yet again - for stealing from a charity shop.

On Friday afternoon, “bungling” Mark Powell was spared jail for a pizza shop break-in that went pathetically wrong.

But he began his Monday morning with another visit to the dock - for pinching a second-hand CD player from a Stockton charity shop.

Powell, a dad-of-two with two stepchildren and another child on the way, pleaded guilty to shoplifting the £9 stereo at Scope’s Stockton branch.


The bench at Teesside Magistrates’ Court conditionally discharged him for 12 months - his second court sentence in four days.

After pleading guilty to burglary during a separate case at Teesside Crown Court on Friday, the 32-year-old got a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for a year.

The crown court was told how Powell sneaked into Angelo’s takeaway on Norton Road, Stockton, through a hole in the ceiling. He pocketed just £50 in lose change.

But the thief’s masterplan came unraveled when he realised he couldn’t get back out.

During his calamitous attempts to escape through the roof, he repeatedly crashed to the floor before the entire ceiling collapsed on top of him.

He caused £3,000 of damage and was warned by the judge, Recorder James Goss, he would be locked up if he re-offended.

However, as the charity shop theft occurred on September 3 - before his burglary sentence - the suspended jail term will not come into play.

After Friday’s appearance, Powell called an impromptu press conference, telling reporters he would become a reformed character by finding God.

“My life has always revolved around drugs by taking heroin and crack cocaine,” he said

“People out there might think they know it all, but they haven’t been there. I’ve seen loads of people crumble. It’s really, really awful.

“I don’t know what it is but since the beginning of last week my head has just exploded and I’ve had to say to myself ‘what are you doing, Mark?’.

“I want to become a born-again Christian. I want to spread the word that drugs are no good.”

[tsgt6]