A MAN who stole nearly £500 in petrol from three garages in the same day has been jailed.

Liam Henderson, of Percival Street, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to 13 separate charges at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates today (January 19).

John Garside, prosecuting, told the court how the 25-year-old stole a total of £474.35 of fuel by filling up barrels at both the East and West Shell Services on the A19 and the Acre Rigg filling station, on August 31, and again from the Asda petrol station, in Peterlee, on September 1.

On November 4, the police attended Henderson’s home address where they found “a small packet of cannabis bush” while on November 28, officers stopped his car while he was driving in Peterlee and arrested him for drink driving after finding 44 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the limit is 35 microgrammes.

They also found he had no drivers’ licence or insurance and had broken an eight-week suspended prison sentence given to him by South Tyneside magistrates in October.

Joanne Gatens, mitigating, said a recent split from his partner had send Henderson “off the rails” after he had already served a “lengthy” custodial sentence when he was 18.

“I appreciate it’s aggravated but he’s a young man who has had his difficulties,” she said.

“There’s been a break-down in his relationship which seems to have been a stabilising influence.

“He’s been associating with people he should not have been but he has been making good progress on his order but that will all be destabilised if you impose custody today,” she added.

“He seems to be showing signs that he’s moving away from those influences and his drug misuse has reduced and he can see he’s about to lose everything with a custodial sentence.”

Despite Ms Gatens’ case, District Judge Andrew Meachin said he was not convinced he should spare Henderson jail.

“I have considered this matter very carefully and I have found no reason why I should not activate the suspended sentence,” he said.

In total, he gave Henderson a 12-week custodial sentence and ordered him to pay £474.35 in compensation to the petrol stations while also disqualifying him from driving for three years.