A criminal who went shoplifting on his way home from community payback work has been given a final chance to stay out of jail. 

Robert Shelton stole a £45 bottle of Britney Spears perfume from Boots as a peace offering to his girlfriend because he was going to be late home from the community work session in South Devon. 

The petty theft nearly landed him in jail because he was also subject to a suspended sentence for a ’despicable’ theft from a 90-year-old woman. 

A judge at Exeter Crown Court decided not to activate the sentence for the new offence after hearing that Shelton has been making an effort to complete the final 53 hours of his unpaid work order. 

He has also got himself a job as a canvasser for a home improvement firm and has settled down with his girlfriend. 

Shelton, aged 20, of Ley Lane, Kingsteignton, admitted theft and breach of a suspended sentence and a community work order and was fined £150 and curfewed for two months by Judge Erik Salomonsen. 

He told him: ’You stole a bottle of perfume on you way home from unpaid work. That says it all. There was a complete lack of thought. It was pure impulse. 

’The juxtaposition displays, as well as anything can, your attitude towards offending and the punishment you received just last year, when you were very fortunate to receive a suspended sentence for stealing from a 90-year-old woman. That was a despicable offence. 

’You have wasted the time of the probation service and wasted the time of the court. If I activated this sentence, it would waste the time of the prison service looking after you for the two months you would serve. 

’I don’t want to see you again. If I do, you will go to prison.’ 

Miss Anita Noerr, prosecuting, said Shelton stole the perfume from the Green Hill Retail Park at Newton Abbot while on his way back from unpaid work in March. 

Miss Julia Cox, defending, said the perfume was a display bottle which he planned to give to his girlfriend to apologise for being late home. 

She said Shelton has a permanent job as a canvasser and has re-engaged with the probation service and is keen to complete his unpaid work on his days off. 

She said he missed one appointment because a work session set off when he was buying a sandwich in a garage and a second because he had a chest infection. He had been unable to get a medical certificate because he is not registered with a GP. 

In the previous case at Exeter Crown Court in September Shelton received a four-month suspended sentence and 120 hours’ unpaid work. 

He was branded as wicked and mean by the judge but spared jail after his kind-hearted victim sent a letter to the judge asking for mercy and suggesting he should he taught a trade rather than locked up. 

He talked his way into her home in Newton Abbot by asking for a glass of water and stole from her purse as she was fetching it. 

He was caught when he went back the next day to try the same trick.