A court heard he ‘has an extensive record for someone of his age’
A tearaway teenage shoplifter who started taking drugs at the age of just 12 has finally been locked up after throwing away a “golden opportunity” to stay out of custody. Serial thief Kane Oliver was taking crack cocaine by the age of 13 and the courts had “bent over backwards” to try to help him over the years, Hull Crown Court heard.
Oliver, 19, of Hull but recently in custody on remand, admitted eight offences of shop theft. The court heard that Oliver targeted the One Stop shop in Marfleet Lane, east Hull, six times between July 12 and 21 and stole items including chocolate, chocolate bars, bacon and fabric conditioner.
He also stole cash from Tesco in Holderness Road, east Hull, on July 15 and cash from Heron Foods in Greenwich Avenue, east Hull, on July 18. Oliver was in breach of an eight-month suspended custodial sentence imposed on March 7. He had been given a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring order, 100 hours’ unpaid work and 25 days’ rehabilitation.
Holly Thompson, mitigating, said that Oliver pleaded guilty. He had shown immaturity. “He has an extensive record for someone of his age, particularly low-level offending,” said Miss Thompson.
“He can’t get around the fact that he is in breach of the suspended sentence. He recognises that he has let himself down and that he had been given a golden opportunity.” Oliver was taking drugs at the age of 12 and he was using crack cocaine when aged 13.
He got back with old associates and started taking Pregabalin, which led him back to offending again. “This young man has struggled on the past with alcohol misuse,” said Miss Thompson.
Judge John Thackray KC told Oliver: “You were given a golden opportunity earlier this year. The courts have bent over backwards to try to rehabilitate you.”
Oliver had been given a referral order in 2021 and youth rehabilitation orders in May, July and September 2023 and a conditional discharge in February last year before bring given the suspended sentence. “You have done one hour of unpaid work,” said Judge Thackray.
“You have attended some appointments. Only a custodial sentence can be justified.”
Oliver was sent to a young offenders’ institution for 10 months. The sentence included a consecutive six months for breaching the suspended sentence.
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