London riots: Lidl water thief jailed for six months

Nicolas Robinson, 23, of Borough, south-east London, carried out the “opportunistic” theft at a Lidl supermarket in Brixton as he walked home from his girlfriend’s house.

Robinson threw away the water and ran when he was confronted by police but was arrested and quickly admitted what he had done.

His solicitor told Camberwell Magistrates’ Court had “got caught up in the moment” and was “incredibly ashamed”.

But District Judge Alan Baldwin said the background of “serious public disorder” was an aggravating feature.

Members of Robinson's family in the public gallery gasped with disbelief as the judge told him he would be going to prison.

The judge said: “The burglary of commercial premises in circumstances such as this where substantial and wholesale public disorder has taken place is in effect what is commonly called looting.”

He said Robinson’s previous good character and early plea of guilty to a non-dwelling burglary, as well as the low value of goods stolen, the fact he was in education, and his remorse, were in his favour.

These meant he would not be sending the looter to the Crown Court where he would face a possible higher sentence.

But the judge said: “The aggravating features are the background of serious public disorder and your part in that.”

Zahid Hussain, prosecuting, said: “Those who reside in London, and far afield, have noticed and witnessed during the past week the sight of riots, public disorder and looting.

“The prosecution submit that this defendant has contributed through his actions and criminal conduct to the atmosphere of both chaos and sheer lawlessness.”

The court heard that Robinson had spent Sunday evening with his girlfriend and on his way home at around 2.40am went into the Lidl’s store as it was looted, where he was spotted by officers with the water.

“When he saw police his first reaction was to discard that case of bottled water. He accepts that he ran from the police. He was then arrested," said Mr Hussain.

Hind Ibrahim, defending, said Robinson had just completed the first year of a two-year college course in electrical engineering for which he has been receiving a small maintenance grant.

She said: “Mr Robinson is incredibly ashamed. It was opportunistic. He was walking past. He saw the store was unsecure and got caught got up in the moment.”