A man who stole two Lay-Z Spa hot tubs and attempted to steal a trolley full of items from the Isle of Wight’s B&Q store has been jailed.

Jamie McClelland, of Freefolk Green, Havant, changed his not-guilty plea to admit theft from a shop and driving whilst disqualified at the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 9.

Liz Miller, prosecuting, said police received reports on August 6 last year that 41-year-old McClelland and a female had been stopped by B&Q staff as the pair attempted to leave via the entrance with a trolley full of items.

Ms Miller told the court the pair made two separate trips into the Newport store, with the first seeing them successfully leave with two Lay-Z Spa hot tubs, to the value of £687.

Police tracked down the pair and found their Volvo with the boot open and the hot tubs still inside – which were returned to B&Q, said Ms Miller.

The court heard that CCTV footage from the store showed McClelland driving the Volvo despite receiving an 18-month disqualification and a suspended sentence just five months earlier.

Bridget O’Hagen, defending, argued that her client’s suspended sentence should not be triggered and that a new suspended sentence should be implemented.

Ms O’Hagen told the court McClelland had met the woman online and had moved to the Island to be with her before realising she was involved in drugs and alcohol.

The court heard that McClelland and the woman have since split up, and he has left the Island to set up a business selling wax melts.

For breaching his suspended sentence and the theft, magistrates handed McClelland an eight week prison sentence, with another eight weeks to run concurrently for driving whilst disqualified. 

McClelland must also pay a £154 surcharge and £85 in costs.