Man received credit voucher for stolen TV (From Craven Herald)

Man received credit voucher for stolen TV

4:11pm Thursday 10th January 2013 in News

A 19-year-old Skipton man convinced shop staff that the television he had just taken from the shelves was an unwanted gift, a court was told.

Conrad Williams was given a £119.99 credit note from staff at B&M Stores in Broughton Road which he then gave to men in Bradford to settle a drugs debt, Skipton magistrates heard.

Staff only become aware of the theft when they saw Williams taking the television from the shelves on the store’s CCTV cameras. The credit note was immediately cancelled, the court was told.

Williams, of Highfield Terrace, who had 20 convictions for 36 offences, including seven for fraud in 2012, went to the store on Monday, December 10, to look for bedding, the court heard.

In mitigation, Lisa Julian said Williams had come up with the idea of trying to get a credit note while he was inside the store.

“He had no receipt, no bag and nothing to suggest he had bought the television. How he got the credit note is something of a surprise,” she said.

The court heard that Williams had had a troubled upbringing, had left care a year ago and was struggling to deal with independent living.

He also had a significant cannabis habit that was costing him £50 per week. At the time of the offence, he was in breach of a six-month conditional discharge given in June for disorderly behaviour.

Williams, who admitted fraud by false representation, was given a 12-month community order with 40 hours’ unpaid work, a £60 victims’ surcharge and no costs. He accepted the breach of the conditional discharge and there was no separate penalty.