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Meet Mr Stupid

Nicola Dowling
26/ 8/2005

MANCHESTER'S dumbest hoodie has been captured after photos showing him stealing from a CCTV camera shop were printed in the M.E.N. and broadcast online.

Michael Adams, 20, was filmed from virtually every angle when he stole a laptop from the shop on Dale Street in the city centre.

He was arrested at a bus stop after a policeman recognised him and yesterday he was given a community order for stealing the computer.

Before his court appearance, Adams came to the M.E.N. offices with a gang of friends who told us his stupidity in stealing from a CCTV shop fitted with his less-than-intelligent reputation.

One pal said: "Everyone calls him by a nickname because he's stupid. They've done it for years."

Even his mum has thrown him out of her Miles Platting home for behavingly badly and he has been forced to live in a tent in a friend's garden.

At first Adams said he was sorry for what he had done, but then said he would do it again.

He sent a message to David Arathoon, the owner of CCTV Surveillance Solutions: "Erm. I'll be back."Debt

Adams, from Marcer Road, told us: "I was up all night drinking. I got in debt, about £150. I have gone out looking for something to rob. I have spotted the laptop so I went in and robbed it."

He already has eight convictions, including six for theft-related crimes.

Adams appeared before Manchester magistrates and pleaded guilty to stealing a Hewlett Packard laptop worth £650.

He was given a community order with supervision for 12 months and a six-month drug rehabilitation order.

He was also ordered to pay compensation of £650 to the shop owner and £70 towards court costs. Defending, Ian Baker said Adams had not claimed benefits but worked as a labourer since leaving school without any qualifications.

He had been introduced to drugs by older people and had lived on his own for a short time after an argument with his mum.

He said: "He found himself owing money to fuel his habit."

Chairman of the bench Dr Frank Hauxwell said: "Offences like this are a plague on the city - stealing goods then selling them for a quarter of their value.

"The bill for that in the city is £1.5 million a year which people like me, your parents and friends pay towards the cost of their goods. The cost to keep you in prison would be £25,000 a year."

He said the court did not feel it was time to send him to jail, but warned him he was reaching "the end of the line".

He added: "I can't understand why, considering the state of the construction industry in this city, a fit young lad of 20 can't get a full-time job and keep himself out of trouble."

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