Benjamin Gillespie, 34, of Rue Colin, Vale, admitted one count of burglary and one of theft when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court. The court was told how the defendant had previously worked for the victim who had dismissed him.
The victim had a warehouse which he locked, but would leave the keys in a safe place outside so customers could collect goods and pay for them later.
In May, Gillespie sent a text to the man asking if he could take one bag of primer valued at £45.
The man agreed to this but when the defendant went there, he took two bags of primer and nine paving slabs, which had a total value of £245.
About a month later, without asking the victim, Gillespie returned to the store just after midnight.
He used a forklift truck there to load two pallets of paving slabs, valued at £1,400, on to his truck.
A third pallet of slabs were damaged during the loading process.
He then locked the warehouse and drove off.
Damage valued at £200 had been caused to goods which could not be sold.
In the following days the victim saw the defendant’s truck for sale on social media with what appeared to be his slabs on the back. After viewing his CCTV he contacted the police.
In interview, Gillespie said he had gone to the shed to collect the goods on his way home with the intention of taking them to a customer in the morning.
He said he had returned the goods the next day and knew nothing about damage caused in the shed.
He had no idea why he had been reported for theft and said he intended to pay for everything, but he had no money and was living in his van.
He had previous convictions, including a large number for theft, the most recent of which was in July 2023.
Defending, Advocate Samuel Steel said his client had intended to pay for the goods but he had no money, and it was not his risk to take.
Judge Gary Perry said the defendant had an extensive criminal record for dishonesty.
‘Your protestation that you intended to pay for the goods, given your financial position, holds no water with me,’ he said.
Gillespie was ordered to perform 140 hours of community service as a direct alternative to six months in prison for the burglary.
Eighty hours, concurrent, as a direct alternative to six weeks, was meted for the theft.
