The victim had let the thief live in his home free of charge
Kingston Lawrence appaered at Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
A callous thief repaid the kindness of a “Good Samaritan” by brazenly stealing his TV in a “very mean” and “unpleasant” theft – while the unsuspecting victim was in hospital. Kingston Lawrence seemed to have taken the TV out of “revenge” even though the man had earlier tried to help him by letting him live free of charge at his home, Hull Crown Court heard.
Lawrence, 24, of Haslemere Avenue, Bridlington, admitted an offence of stealing a TV on September 11. He also admitted breaching a two-year suspended prison sentence imposed on January 23, 2024 for supplying and being concerned in supplying Class A drugs.
Billy Torbett, prosecuting, said that the man sometimes allowed people to stay at his Bridlington home free of charge for company and to help him with small jobs. Lawrence began living there but he later left and moved in with his girlfriend.
The man later became ill and went into hospital for five weeks. Another man was left living there alone but Lawrence later made contact, asking if he could pick up the rest of his belongings.
On September 11, Lawrence went to the property to collect his possessions. The man who had allowed Lawrence to live there thought nothing more about it.
On September 12, the man’s sister contacted him and asked him if he wanted her to do some cleaning there for him. She went there after Lawrence had been to collect his belongings.
The sister asked the man if he had sold his TV because it was no longer bracketed to the wall. The man returned home and saw that the TV was no longer there. He had bought it four months earlier.
The occupier looked at CCTV pictures from September 11 and saw Lawrence carrying out the agreed belongings of his but also the man’s TV, valued at £327. During police interview, Lawrence claimed that, when he arrived to collect his belongings, all the items were piled up at the front door – but including the TV.
He denied taking the TV off the bracket. “There is a breach of some degree of trust,” said Mr Torbett.
Jazmine Lee, mitigating, said: “He accepts that this is a completely petty and impulsive thing to do. He has offered to give the TV back. He is very disappointed with himself.”
A pre-sentence report had suggested that the stealing of the TV was a “revenge” theft. Lawrence had been working sporadically doing roofing and he hoped that it would become permanent. “He works very hard,” said Miss Lee.
Deputy circuit judge Timothy Clayson said that the retired man was “acting as something of a Good Samaritan” by giving Lawrence free accommodation but Lawrence stole a TV from him. “It was a really mean thing to do,” he said.
“You had previously lived at his home because of his generosity. That makes it quite an unpleasant offence. It was opportunistic but it was mean.”
Lawrence was ordered to do 60 hours’ unpaid work and he was fined £100 for breaching the suspended sentence.
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