In the early hours of 26 February, Joshua Blake Zomparelli used a bottle to smash a glass panel in the door of Costcutter in St John’s Village.
After climbing into the store through the hole, the 18-year-old filled several plastic bags with nearly £1,200 worth of stock – including numerous cigarette packets and a bottle of vodka – before making a getaway.
However, during a sentencing hearing on Tuesday the court heard that when the store’s CCTV footage was published online, a teacher from Highlands recognised the first year sports studies student and contacted the police.
Following the call, the defendant was arrested on the Highlands campus on 16 March.
Initially Zomparelli denied being involved in the break-in but later admitted the crime, saying that on the night he had been taking valium tablets and drinking heavily.
He also admitted selling some of the cigarettes to classmates and to possessing 0.2g of cannabis.
Advocate James Bell, defending, said that his client was very remorseful for his actions, that he had no previous convictions and that he had initially denied the crime ‘out of panic’.
He added: ‘This was committed on the spur of the moment. It was not premeditated and it was unsophisticated.’
Zomparelli was sentenced to nine months’ probation with 120 hours of community service and ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation.
Relief Magistrate Peter Mourant said that the case could have easily attracted a custodial sentence, but that because of the defendant’s age and lack of previous convictions, he was prepared to grant an alternative.
Mr Mourant said: ‘The future is in your hands. Please do not waste the opportunity that the court has given you.’
