Family violence offender sentenced for pinching necklace for lover

A man has been sentenced for stealing a cheap heart-shaped necklace for his girlfriend the same day he was released from prison for dishonesty and family violence offences.

A REPEAT family violence offender who has been jailed 15 times since 2011 has been hauled before the Supreme Court for stealing a cheap golden heart-shaped necklace for his girlfriend the same day he finished one of his prison stints.

Rikki James Williams, 30, was accompanied by his then-partner and carrying her child when he pinched the necklace from a Devonport gift store during December 2017.

His girlfriend spoke to the shop assistant while Williams put the item and its box in his pocket, Justice Robert Pearce said while sentencing.

Williams attempted to leave, but the shop’s owner confronted him and tried to close the door.

But the thief forced the door open and walked away as the owner grabbed at his clothes.

Police spoke to Williams’ girlfriend the following day and she produced the necklace, along with a letter opener he had also stolen, with the items worth a combined approximate value of $120.

“You have a bad record for dishonesty and violence, as well as for other offending. On my count you have been sentenced to imprisonment 15 times since 2011,” Justice Pearce said.

“Whenever sentences have been partly suspended, you have breached them by re-offending. “

The judge said Williams had been in jail for four months over dishonesty and family violence offending in December 2017, committing the necklace theft “almost immediately” upon his release while he was still under a suspended sentence.

Williams has since returned to jail with the suspended part of that sentence activated, and for more serious family violence offending.

“This was a blatant example of planned shoplifting. It did not involve goods of particular value, and could have been dealt with by a magistrate, but was another demonstration of your persistent unwillingness to obey the law which has continued since then,” Justice Pearce said.

Williams, currently in jail for breaching family violence orders in unrelated offending, pleaded guilty to one count of stealing and was given a two-month suspended sentence.