A schizophrenic man from Swindon was not given the medication he needs while in prison, a court has heard.

Christopher DeSantos, 35, was agitated in the dock of Swindon Magistrates' Court on August 16.

He pleaded guilty to stealing £169.97 of electrical items from Boots in Dorset, which he says he did to secure transport back to Swindon after release from prison in Weymouth.

This was so he could access medical help, which his defence solicitor said he did not receive in jail.(Image: Wiltshire Police)

Emma Hillier, defence, said: “Mr DeSantos is currently off his medication which is not his fault. The police said they were going to fetch his medication yesterday. They obviously have not.

“So Mr DeSantos is clearly in a heightened state.

“He was placed into an approved premise in Weymouth, where he was not medicated properly and the reason for this theft was that he was trying to get back to Swindon to sort out the medication and to see his CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse).”

Ms Hillier continued: “These thefts are not related to drug addiction, which a lot of his previous ones have been. He is clean of drugs.

“They are from sheer desperation to get back to Swindon.”

DeSantos said: “What the judges do not know is I have not been medicated.”(Image: Dave Cox)

De Santos, of Lilac Court, Pinehurst, appeared after a warrant was issued the day before. He said he had tried multiple times to make contact with probation as required.

DeSantos added: “I cannot stand probation. What they are doing to me is wrong.”

He stole £169.97 of electrical items from Boots, all of which were recovered in saleable condition 30 minutes later, said Kate Prince, prosecuting. 

DeSantos has 116 previous theft offences, with the latest committed while on licence for 16 weeks in prison for stealing electric razors from Asda in April.

He also stole £300 of goods from Vision Express on Regent Street, £120 of goods from HMV and £350 of goods from B&M, all in May.

He has £1,366 in outstanding fines and was not receiving benefits at the time of the theft or later court appearance.

The magistrate gave DeSantos a six-month conditional discharge.

He said: “We are mindful of your situation and the reason for the theft and will give a less severe sentence as a consequence.”

DeSantos must also pay a £26 surcharge, but no costs due to lack of means.