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Homeless man from Oxfordshire turns to crime after death of his daughter

Thomas Garrity has been in and out of prison since 2019 for several crimes, including multiple thefts and drug offenses.

The 35-year-old attributes his offending to a Class A drug addiction that arose from the grief he felt when his daughter was reportedly killed by his ex-partner several years ago.

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On Wednesday (September 4) he appeared again at Oxford Crown Court, where he was jailed for theft.

During the hearing, it was heard that the homeless defendant was charged with one count of theft after stealing six bottles of Beefeater gin and a bottle of Coke from a Waitrose store on Botley Road.

On September 12, shortly after 9 a.m., he told two co-workers he was going to “stab” them while stealing alcohol.

An employee claims he saw Garrity with his hand in his pocket and “recognized the shape of something sharp,” but could not be sure if he had a knife.

Garrity was arrested two days later and made all his confessions in court.

He has been convicted nine times for 23 offences and is currently serving a 24-week prison sentence. He was due to be released from prison at the end of the month for another offence.

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The theft also occurred at the end of his driving licence, as he had recently served a ten-month prison sentence for a similar offence in which he threatened shop employees with a knife.

Garrity's defense attorney Peter du Feu said the reasons for his crime were his drug addiction and homelessness.

He also described his client's tragic past to the judge: “He entered into a relationship, had a daughter and the daughter died at the age of eight months.

“His partner had serious psychological problems and smothered their daughter.”

He added that his client had had a difficult life but saw the prison sentence as a “positive opportunity to change his behavior.”

“He will make the best of it,” said du Feu. “He hopes he can pull himself together and return to his life before 2019.”

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Judge Ian Pringle sentenced Garrity to 27 months in prison.

“I hope that during this time you continue the progress you made in prison,” he said. “And when you get out, you are able to deal with your drug addiction and put it behind you.”

The defendant thanked Judge Pringle before being returned to his cell.

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