DEPRESSINGProlific low level thieving, and by that I mean by an offender aged between 30 and 50 usually male whose “previous” runs to at least three pages, is committed to buy alcohol and/or drugs. There is no appropriate sentence. Of course he can be imprisoned for up to 26 weeks but that`s a waste of time and money; he can be fined in theory and set free for time deemed served whilst remanded overnight in custody and have that repeated until he dies an early death. The numbers of such offenders must be in the hundreds of thousands annually when other related low level offences eg drunk and disorderly and public order offences are included. It is sitting on such matters that for the only time in my magisterial career I feel depressed. Yesterday was such a day.