Worksop man who burgled takeaway to fund his crack cocaine habit was going through ‘bad patch’

A Worksop man who burgled a local takeaway to fund a severe crack cocaine addiction has avoided immediate jail time after a court heard he was going through a particularly difficult period, described as a "bad patch" by his defense representative.

The incident occurred on the evening of December 17, 2025, when police were alerted to a break-in at a commercial food establishment in the town centre. Forensic evidence collected at the scene, along with closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, quickly pointed to the defendant, who was subsequently arrested by Nottinghamshire Police officers.

A Spiral of Addiction

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the burglaries were driven entirely by the defendant's dependency on Class A drugs. The defense argued that while the offenses were serious, they represented a desperate attempt to fund a habit that had spiraled out of control following personal setbacks. The court was urged to consider a rehabilitation community order rather than immediate custody to allow the defendant to seek treatment for his addiction.

The presiding magistrate noted the distress caused to local business owners who have faced rising insurance costs and operational disruption due to retail and commercial break-ins. However, the court ultimately decided to sentence the man to a community order with a strict drug rehabilitation requirement, stating that addressing the root cause of the offending would benefit the community in the long run.