Man fined over football shirts theft from charity

The court heard that Barnes stole the shirts to generate money for his difficult living conditions

A man has been fined for stealing retro kits from a charity football merchandise shop.

Marcus Barnes, 33, of no fixed abode, admitted one count of theft from the On the Stall City shop.

Seven Norwich City shirts disappeared from the store, which operates in The Forum in the city, in August.

Barnes was fined £120 at Norwich Magistrates' Court and has to pay £100 compensation to the shop.

He admitted he took items between 5 and 7 August, worth £280, and tried to sell them on Facebook Marketplace.

Barnes returned to the shop on three occasions to steal the kit, which sells a variety of branded leisure and training wear, and donates profits to Norwich City's charity - The Community Sports Foundation.

Managers of On The Stall City said about seven of its shirts went missing in August

His defence solicitor Julie Adam told the court that he was "unaware" it was a charity shop and he "accepts what he did was wrong".

She said at the time of the offence he had recently been evicted from his council property.

When that home was cleared his belongings were disposed of, and that included a signed Norwich football shirt given to him by his father - the court heard.

Barnes was also ordered to pay a £48 victim surcharge.