A THIEF who stole a Poppy Appeal charity tin on Armistice Day has been jailed.

Paul Riley committed a string of thefts in Worcester including the theft of the two Royal British Legion charity boxes containing funds for ex-servicemen.

The 36-year-old, who was also in breach of a suspended sentence imposed on September 13 last year, looked saddened by the decision to jail him at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Riley and his solicitor, Paul Stanley, had argued that the defendant, who stole to fund his drink and drugs habit, would lose his accommodation at St Paul’s Hostel in Tallow Hill, Worcester, if he was jailed.

Riley stole a Poppy Appeal charity box from Costa Coffee in Foregate Street, Worcester, on Armistice Day - November 11 last year – before stealing

another Royal British Legion charity box from WHSmith in Droitwich two days later.

At the time Worcester mayor Allah Ditta, who launched last year's Poppy Appeal in the city, condemned the theft saying he was "devastated” and described anyone who would go to such lengths as “desperate.”

Cllr Ditta said: “Obviously I am devastated that someone would not seek help rather than steal something like this.

“I don’t know [their] circumstances but I am certainly disappointed too that someone has stolen this in this scenario on that day in particular.”

A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said at the time: “We are greatly disturbed to hear of the theft of a poppy collecting tin.

“This loss will deprive those in the Service and ex-Service community and their families of much needed assistance and support from the Legion.”

Riley also admitted stealing a mobile phone in McDonald’s in The Foregate, Worcester on November 8, three Mister Bright teeth whitening kits worth £119.97 from Superdrug in Worcester High Street and a £50 set of Star Wars from Toys & Games in Broad Street, Worcester on October 22.

Kerry Lovegrove, prosecuting, said Riley took the mobile phone after it was left on a table at McDonald’s. The theft was reported to staff at the restaurant and Riley was identified from CCTV.

Miss Lovegrove said it was not known how much was in the Poppy Appeal box stolen from Costa so she could not put a value on it. The teeth whitening kits stolen from Superdrug were never recovered.

Riley made full admissions in police interview. “He said he stole all the items to have money for drugs and alcohol,” said Miss Lovegrove.

He told officers there was only £2 in the box he stole from WHSmith and £15 from the one in Costa Coffee.

Paul Stanley, for Riley, asked them not to activate the suspended sentence, arguing that his client had ‘a number of difficulties’ including being homeless and in arranging his benefits. However, Riley now had accommodation at St Paul’s and his benefits (Universal Credit) were now in place.

“If he goes to custody he will inevitably be back to square one,” said Mr Stanley. The defendant also spoke from the dock, telling them if he was jailed he would come out of the prison ‘homeless again’. He added: “It just won’t help.”

Mr Stanley also said his client had voluntarily attended the police station and had health problems, having recently been diagnosed with COPD.

Mr Stanley argued that Riley had now ‘turned a corner’. However, he added: “He’s drinking. He uses drugs but he’s not offending.”

However, Miss Lovegrove pointed out that Riley had been arrested for a public order offence as recently as December 16 last year.

Mr Stanley said he had not been aware of this. Riley indicated from the dock that he would plead guilty to this offence too and had told a police officer ‘where to go’. The clerk of the court reminded magistrates that the starting point in the guidelines was the activation of the suspended sentence.

Magistrates jailed Riley for 16 weeks – six weeks for the all thefts and 10 consecutive weeks activated from the suspended sentence.