Bexhill drug addict jailed

Daniel Cunningham, 20, punched Frederick Lezziero in the face as he walked along Battle High Street with his girlfriend who was looking for a glove she had dropped.

When Mr Lezziero rang the police on his mobile phone Cunningham tried to shake his hand and apologise before running away, Lewes Crown Court heard. Cunningham, of Buxton Road, assault causing actual bodily harm on December 31 2005 after Mr Lezziero suffered cuts and bleeding. He also admitted burglary at Devonshire Stores, a convenience shop in Carlisle Road, Eastbourne, on the night of August 19 last year. Cunningham, who has a 50 crack cocaine habit and has never had a job, got into the shop using keys given to his girlfriend who was working at the store at the time.

He stole cigarettes worth 2,000 which he later sold for 500 to buy drugs.

The same night he stole a Nintendo Wii games console from Rose Cottage, a local authority children's home in Bexhill.

His fingerprints were found on the windowsill and a police investigation revealed that a child living at the home had agreed to open the window for Cunningham to get in. Cunningham admitted theft and has previous convictions for dishonesty, violence, burglary and breaching an ASBO. Defending, Rebecca Upton said: "He would like to move away to make a fresh start which might be the only way the pattern of offending will stop."

Jailing him, Recorder Margaret Bowron, QC, described Cunnigham's offending as mean and nasty and told him she found his case deeply depressing. She said: "You are not a very good criminal. You get caught, you end up going to custody and as you older the sentences will get longer and you will spend more time out of the community and having a horrible time. Your life is in a mess."