Art's not so smart; 75-YEAR-OLD'S SHAME AS HE STEALS WITH GRANDSON.

Byline: LINDA RICHARDS 

AT his age he really ought to have known better...

Arthur Emmerson, 75, who lives in a care home, wanted to help his hard-up grandson -so went shoplifting.

Emmerson is on Income Support but only gets pounds 10 a week pocket money after his bills are all paid.

So he couldn't afford to help out his grandson Michael Campbell, 27, who needed to pay off some debts.

Instead, the pensioner went with Campbell to Asda at the Metrocentre and helped him steal a TV and DVD player.

The pair equipped themselves with a pair of pliers to cut the security tags and remove the items from the shelves.

It was Campbell's intention to take the goods, valued at pounds 600, and flog them for pounds 100 at a pawn brokers.

But, a court heard the get-rich-quick scheme backfired when they were caught red-handed.

Prosecutor Kim Elder told Gateshead magistrates: "Campbell and his grandfather went to Asda at the Metrocentre on October 24 at 6.30pm. They went into the store and put a TV and Blu Ray from the display into a shopping trolley. Both the security tags were removed.

"Campbell left the store and Emmerson was left to push the trolley out past the tills with the items.

"The whole incident had been seen on CCTV. The items were recovered and a pair of pliers were found in the aisle."

When quizzed by police, Emmerson, of Bowland Lodge care Lodge care home, Western Avenue, Grainger Park Newcastle, made a full confession but Campbell, of Aldwick Road, Scotswood, Newcastle, denied any involvement during two interviews.

He said he'd gone to the store to buy a TV and DVD for his grandfather, that he'd put the items in the trolley, then he'd gone to the fruit and vegetable and meat aisles before leaving the store, leaving his grandfather in the store.

Miss Elder said: "He was shown a pair of pliers before and that he which he said he had not seen before and that he had taken no part in the theft."

But he changed his story and admitted the theft during a third interview when he was threatened with CCTV evidence.

Both men pleaded guilty to theft. Campbell, who has five previous convictions for theft, was given a six-month supervision order with a onemonth electronic curfew between 7pm and 7am. Emmerson, who has 17 previous theft offences, will be sentenced today after probation reports are prepared.

Defending, Paul Oxnard said it was Campbell's intention to use the money from the sale of the stolen goods on his family rather than spend it on himself.

"It was a difficult situation for him at the time but that doesn't excuse what he did," he said.

"His intention was to try and buy items for his family because no money was coming in and there was a lot of pressure on the family."

He told an earlier hearing: "He'd had problems with his benefit payment and problems with his gas and electricity and that prompted him to take this course of action," he said.

"His grandfather was there with him helping him out. Effectively doing what he thought he could do to be of assistance but in a wrong way.

"He had no money go give him so he thought he would assist him in another way.

"Emmerson is living in a care home, he receives Income Support. That money goes towards taking care of bills and he his given pounds 10 a week pocket money to live off."

After the case Campbell said: "I regret that my grandfather was involved."

His grandfather did not want to make a comment.

CAPTION(S):

GUILTY: Grandson Michael Campbell DISGRACE: Arthur Emmerson leaves court after pleading guilty