215 CRIMES; But court gives prolific thief, 36, a final chance.

Byline: GARETH LIGHTFOOT

A PROLIFIC thief with 215 crimes to his name has been given a final chance to prove himself amid "glimmers" of hope for his future.

Dennis Darren Tonkin was at Teesside Crown Court to be sentenced for stealing five bars of chocolate and two deodorants worth pounds 11.83 from Tesco Express on Marton Road, Middlesbrough, on March 8.

He also breached his indefinite Anti-Social Behaviour Order by entering his exclusion zone at the junction of Albert Road and Borough Road on July 5. Prosecutor Richard Parsell said the 36-year-old homeless man now had 89 thefts on his record, along with burglaries, Asbo breaches and other court orders.

Paul Newcombe, defending, said: "He's a drunk, an addict and a nuisance."

A report said he had cut his daily drink intake from 16 bottles of wine to four cans of lager and "could do with some intervention in this area".

"I think that's the understatement of the year," said Mr Newcombe.

But he said Tonkin had been complying with a recent community order, was on methadone and knew he needed to conquer his other "demon" - alcohol.

Tonkin could not do community work because of his dependence and could not be given a curfew because he was homeless.

Mr Newcombe asked the judge to give Tonkin a final chance, saying: "There is some glimmer of management."

Judge George Moorhouse told Tonkin he had an "appalling record" but seemed to be making efforts to get off drink and drugs. "I'm going to give you a final chance," he said.

He made a community order with 12 months supervision and an activity requirement to sort out the drinking.

CAPTION(S):

ORDER: Dennis Darren Tonkin, left, was told by Judge George Moorhouse at Teesside Crown Court he had an "appalling record"