A homeless man living in Helston has been rehoused on the same day he appeared in court for a string of offences across Cornwall – including stealing from a pharmacy and hurling abuse at a black police officer.
Lee Eastwood, 39, appeared before Truro Magistrates Court on Wednesday (November 4) to face sentencing for seven crimes he had committed over the last year.
He was due to be given housing on the same day as his court appearance, as one of the first 50 people in the UK being supported under a new £874 million scheme to end rough sleeping by Christmas.
The court heard that Eastwood, then of no fixed abode, stole £1,519 of cosmetics and luxury items from Boots in Hayle in December 2025 after being released from prison earlier that month.
This was taken to pay off drug debts he had accumulated before his prison sentence, according to his defence solicitor.
On April 9, 2026, police were called after he was removed from the Shipyard Market, Porthleven due to being in an intoxicated state.
Whilst at first talkative to the officers, he soon became agitated and was put in the back of a police van to calm down.
During this incident, Eastwood directed racist verbal abuse at a black police officer, including shouting at him “shut the f**k up, you n****r c**t”.
For this, he was charged with racially aggravated harassment, with the officer saying: “My family would be affected greatly if they found out what I’m subjected to at work.”
In May, Eastwood was arrested for being drunk and disorderly outside The Ship Inn, Porthleven, and taken to Camborne Police Station where he urinated on a mattress – landing him with a charge of criminal damage to property.
Spending much of the summer in Penzance, he was also charged with being drunk and disorderly in a public place there on June 17.
On August 27, a pair of police officers on the beat noticed him sitting outside Whirlwind Sports in Penzance, and attempted to arrest him in connection to another crime.
However, when PC Smith got out her handcuffs, Eastwood punched her in the arm and fled the scene.
Eventually, they located him near the station and managed to arrest him using an incapacitating spray, although another female police officer was struck in the head during the incident.
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No injuries were recorded during the arrest, and Eastwood was charged with assaulting emergency workers.
Prosecutors told the court that Eastwood has 10 prior convictions for 19 offences, including an assault causing actual bodily harm and two counts of resisting police. It also included four previous theft offences.
He was given a suspended sentence in August 2024, which was activated in September 2025 after he harassed a person.
He was not subject to any court orders when the offences that he was being sentenced for on November 4 were committed.
His defence, Paul Simons, told the court that his client was living homeless in the Helston area and receiving universal credit.
He explained that recent developments would see Eastwood housed in Penzance later that day, saying: “There is hope for him.”
He added that his client, now clean from drugs and alcohol, will be helped by having a roof over his head.
Mr Simons said that Eastwood was “very sorry for what he said” to the officer he racially insulted, adding that he would not have said this without the influence of alcohol.
Calling for a sentence that would focus more on rehabilitation than punishment, Mr Simons added: “Give him the carrot rather than the stick.”
Eastwood has also been regularly engaging with drug and alcohol charity With You, with a caseworker telling the court that much of his alcohol abuse “comes with being homeless”.
Eastwood is set to be housed in Penzance under the recent £874 million government scheme to end rough sleeping by Christmas.
The court heard that Eastwood is among the first 50 people nationwide to be given accommodation under this scheme, which had its funding doubled on October 25.
Eastwood pleaded guilty to all seven offences and was given an 18 month community order.
He must comply with orders from his probation officer, and was also ordered to pay compensation to victims.
This included £100 each to the female police officers he struck, £150 to the officer he racially abused and £150 to Boots.
He must also pay £157 in compensation to Devon and Cornwall Police for damage to the cell and mattress.
Magistrates explained that they were not making Eastwood pay the full cost of his stolen items, or a victim surcharge, due to his financial situation.
He thanked the charity WithYou for their help with his addiction support and facilitating the accommodation with Cornwall Housing.
Before Eastwood walked out of the dock, magistrates were optimistic about his future with a roof over his head, adding: “This is really positive, and will make a big difference to your life.”
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