Smyths Toys Wakefield: Thief entered busy shop at Christmas found carrying gun 'for protection'

Drug addict Kebba Cham raised suspicions among staff at Smyths at Westgate Retail Park due to his demeanour after he entered the busy store at around 3pm on December 12 last year.

He had been in previously and caught attention of staff, prosecutor Victoria Barker told Leeds Crown Court. During his second visit he was seen to put items in a back pack and try to leave the store but was stopped by the manager.

He became aggressive and made threats to stab another employee. Nearby police were alerted and quickly detained the 42-year-old. He had tried to steal more than £90 worth of toys.

However, they then found the gun in his coat pocket. It was neither an air weapon or BB gun, but a fake gun designed to look a realistic as possible. He told officers: "I used it to protect myself on the streets." He later gave a no-comment interview.

He has eight previous convictions for 15 offences, but none for weapons. He admitted a charge of theft and possession of an imitation firearm in a public place.

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Mitigating, Benjamin Bell said Cham, of no fixed address, had a "troubled history with drugs" and was "thieving for his habit". Having been held on remand for two months, he said Cham had already served the equivalent of a four-month sentence, given that defendants are usually released at the halfway stage.

Judge Simon Phillips KC gave him a 12-month community order with a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and 10 rehabilitation days with probation.