Middlewich man took stolen goods from petrol station worker

Joshua Warner, of Sutton Lane, struck up a friendship with Jack Allsobrook, a staff member at the Morrisons petrol station, off Shrewsbury Road in Oswestry, when he stopped for fuel.

Then, over a two-month period between June 10 and August 15 last year, Allsobrook slipped the 22-year-old cigarettes and scratch cards without taking payment. The goods stolen by Allsobrook totalled a combined amount of £3,000.

The offences were discovered and the pair subsequently appeared together at Telford Magistrates Court on Tuesday, November 8, charged with nine counts of theft.

Allsobrook, aged 22 and of Aston Way, Oswestry, also admitted five charges of stealing foodstuffs and two of fraud by abuse of position.

The court heard the offences were noticed when Allsobrook's manager returned from holiday and was asked to begin an investigation into a large loss in lottery goods.

This led to an internal investigation into Allsobrook, who was also found to have taken foodstuffs, low in value such as £3-£7, and had also helped himself to £45 from the business, dishonestly.

The prosecution told magistrates Allsobrook admitted the offences immediately to police, when they were called by Morrisons, and explained he 'threw in a few cigarettes' to Warner, but felt too weak to stop and did not want to upset him, but also that he did not feel bullied into doing it.

The court heard Warner attended a voluntary interview with police and admitted receiving the stolen goods, and told officers he felt the supermarket worker was trying to 'buy his friendship'.

Warner was given a 12-month community order, also with 130 hours of unpaid work, and will have to pay £1,250 in compensation, costs of £185 and £95 towards the victim surcharge.

Allsobrook was given a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was also given 130 hours of unpaid work.

He will also have to pay the supermarket £3,247 in compensation as well as £185 in costs and a £128 victim surcharge.