A NORTHWICH man stole cash and Christmas presents from his friend of three years after she offered him a place to stay for the night.

Luke Vincent Weedall, 32, of Nicholas Avenue in Rudheath, said he was ‘dreadfully sorry’ for what he had done, after magistrates handed him a suspended sentence.

He was appearing at Chester Magistrates Court last Friday after pleading guilty at another hearing in relation to the incident in the early hours of December 21 last year.

Luke Unsworth, prosecuting, told the bench it had been around 9pm on December 20 when Weedall knocked on the door of his friend, who let him in as he appeared drunk and unsteady on his feet.

“She said the defendant was intoxicated and was stumbling around, at one point, almost falling into the Christmas tree,” he said.

“She gave him some water in a bid to try and sober him up and he asked her if he could borrow some money.

“They spent the next couple of hours watching television before she went up to bed, leaving Weedall on the sofa.”

Mr Unsworth went on to say how Weedall’s friend had woken up at around 3am, to find him gone and several Christmas presents missing from under the tree.

He added: “As well as the presents, she also noticed money had been taken from her purse, a pot of money containing about £30 had been emptied and a Christmas card she believed contained £20 had also gone.

“After looking around her house further, she also noticed a gold iPhone 8, a pink phone charger and an older white iPhone had also been taken.”

Weedall was arrested at his home several hours later and all the items were recovered, including a wine glass he had hidden in the pocket of his hooded top.

Mr Unsworth went on to say how Ms Southerton had not only suffered a high level of inconvenience with presents being stolen so close to Christmas but also the emotional distress which had left her with anxiety.

Representing himself in court, Weedall said how sorry he was for what he had done and that he had ‘lost a good friend’.

He said: “I am genuinely dreadfully sorry for what I’ve done. I haven’t been in trouble in God knows how long and it was just a spare of the moment thing.

“I just want to say to her in person how sorry I am, but I know with the restraining order being made that won’t be possible. I’ve lost a very good friend and I’d do anything not to be sent to jail.”

Weedall, who has been a drug user for around 10 years, said how he just wanted to clean himself up and finally sort his life out.

He said: “Ten years is enough now, I just want to get off my methadone prescription and stay clean.

“I lost contact with my daughter last year and that just put everything into context for me.”

Having considered Weedall’s punishment for some time, the Magistrates returned to inform him the nature of his crime had represented a higher degree breach of trust and had therefore crossed the custody threshold.

Weedall was handed a sentence of 26 weeks, but it will be suspended for a period of 18 months.

Tracey Whittingham, chairman of the bench, said: “You were given a bed for the night and this is how you repaid that trust.

“Stealing Christmas presents is bad enough, but not only that, you had a good root around.

“You said you’ve got no money but you clearly have money to buy drink and drugs.

“Nobody is saying it is an easy thing to come off drugs and only you can change that.

“You’ve lost a friendship but we accept you are clearly remorseful about that.”

As part of the suspended sentence, Weedall will also complete an 18 month community order, which includes a drug rehabilitation requirement.

He will also have to pay his victim £300 in compensation and was handed a three-year restraining order prohibiting him from having any contact with her.