Jobless teen who starred in TV’s Benefits Britain in dock after stealing £15 worth of food from a Co-op store
The controversial claimant has previously said he would rather life off benefits than 'graft'
A THIEVING TV benefits scrounger who boasted "my only job is to be me" smirked in the dock as he pleaded guilty to stealing £15 worth of food from a Co-op store.
Jobless Travis Simpkins, 19, filled up a basket with groceries before getting in a car and fleeing the shop in Rotherham, south Yorkshire.
The work-shy teen - known for starring in Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole - was arrested in October after police identified him from CCTV footage of the theft on April 29.
A court heard Simpkins had already been convicted of three similar shoplifting offences in May and handed a 12-month conditional discharge.
Simpkins, of Lupton Road, Sheffield, appeared before the city's magistrates' court on Thursday wearing a black Adidas hoodie and grey tracksuit bottoms.
He pleaded guilty to theft and was told off by the chairman of the bench for smiling during the proceedings.
Handing him a further six-month conditional discharge, Ronald Cooke said: "This seems to entertain you but I can assure you it doesn't entertain us listening to the things that people do who come before us."
He was ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £20 surcharge, which will come out of his benefits payments.
Simpkins - who became a hate figure following the Channel 5 documentary last February - lives on £60 a week in Employment Support Allowance.
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He refuses to apply for Jobseeker's Allowance because he has no intention of looking for work and previously said he would "rather stay on benefits than graft in a factory or ASDA".
Prosecutor Mark Hughes said: "The offence occurred shortly before 10am. He entered the store and placed food into a basket before running out of the shop without making any effort to pay.
"When interviewed by police he made a full and frank admission. On May 19 he was also convicted for three incidents of making off without payment."
Since his TV debut, the wannabe celeb has provoked further outrage with a string of controversial comments.
He bizarrely said he wanted to have a baby with NHS boob job scrounger Josie Cunningham so they could be "as famous as David and Victoria Beckham" - while still living off the state.
After "ruining" his teeth smoking and drinking he suggested the NHS should fork out £15,000 to fix them so could pursue a career in acting.
And shortly before the Brexit vote, Simpkins said he hoped Britain would remain in the EU so he could rake in more benefits money.
John Thompson, defending, said: "He has long-term mental health problems. I would urge the court to extend the conditional discharge."
The judge branded him a "very silly, very immature man" and told him to "get a job".
Asked if he regretted his actions outside court, Simpkins said: "Not really" and declined to comment further.
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