Scarborough criminal David White stole cash from One Stop shop's office while staff were serving

David White, 41, sneaked into a back office while staff were in the main shop area and stole more than £140 of takings, York Crown Court heard.

However, CCTV at the One Stop shop captured his movements and he was soon identified by police, who had had many dealings with White before the “sneak-in” burglary at the store in Huntriss Row, Scarborough.

In 2014, White received a 13-year jail sentence for manslaughter following a four-man robbery in Eastborough in which the 41-year-old victim died of stab wounds.

White - formerly of Queens Terrace but currently of no fixed address - initially denied burgling the shop but finally owned up after being shown CCTV footage.

He appeared for sentence via video link on Monday after pleading guilty to burglary and possessing Class C drugs.

Caroline Abraham, prosecuting, said White went into the shop at about 6.30pm on June 6. He headed straight for the back of the shop to the store office where the till takings were kept. White walked in and took a bag containing over £144 in cash.

“The defendant made his way down the middle aisle (of the shop), apparently dropped something (which) may have been the bag, picked it up (and) made his way back to the back of the shop,” added Ms Abraham.

“He went out of the shop and left.”

He was taken in for questioning five days after the burglary when a police officer spotted him in the town centre and called for back-up. He was arrested near Scarborough Railway Station.

White claimed he wasn’t the man on the video footage, but then admitted he was when officers revealed a close-up shot which showed the giveaway tattoo on his neck.

White’s long rap sheet included 39 previous convictions for 90 offences. The “vast majority” were for shoplifting but he also had burglaries, drugs possession and robberies to his name.

In March 2014, he was convicted of manslaughter following the death of Jonathan Binns, a “peaceful”, working man who was enjoying an evening in at a friend’s flat in Eastborough when White and three others forced their way in.

Mr Binns, 41, died from stab wounds following the “vicious and unprovoked” attack in August 2013.

White received a 13-year jail sentence for manslaughter, conspiracy to commit robbery and possessing Class C drugs.

Drug addict Kevin John Pickering, 29, was convicted of murder and given a life sentence with a minimum of 23 years’ imprisonment.

James Cousins and Nicholas Polihronos, both 31, were jailed for 12 years each for manslaughter and conspiracy to commit robbery following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.

White was on prison licence at the time of the shop burglary after being released from jail halfway through his sentence for manslaughter.

When arrested for the burglary, he was found in possession of Diazepam tablets, which were unprescribed and therefore illicit.

White told police he had bought the drugs to “self-medicate” because he had mental-health problems.

Defence barrister Nick Peacock said that because White was on licence at the time of the “opportunistic” burglary, he had been recalled to prison immediately after his arrest.

He may now have to serve the balance of his 13-year sentence for manslaughter behind bars, depending on a decision by the Parole Board.

For the burglary, judge Sean Morris imposed an additional six-month jail sentence.

White will be moved into “approved premises” when he is released from the burglary sentence, pending the Parole Board’s decision on the manslaughter sentence.

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