A MAN from Salisbury has been handed a suspended prison sentence after he stole perfume worth more than £500 from Boots on Silver Street over two days.

Joshua Simpkins, 31, indicated a guilty plea to three counts of theft from a shop when he appeared at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, November 20.

Simpkins, of Rampart Road, stole two Lady Million sets, two Yves Saint Laurent sets, one Giorgio Armani set and one Vie Est Belle set with a combined value of £560.

He stole the Lady Million and Vie Est Belle perfumes on Monday, November 18 and the others in two separate incidents on Tuesday, November 19.

Magistrates gave him a 16-week sentence, suspended for one year.

Court documents say his offences were “so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified”. 

Simpkins must pay a £154 surcharge to fund victim services by Wednesday, December 18, but no order was made for him to pay court costs.

He must also comply with the instructions of a responsible officer to attend appointments or take part in activities for a maximum of 30 days.

His guilty plea was considered when he was sentenced.