News Community work for teenage phone thief
A teenager from Swinefleet has been ordered to do 60 hours of unpaid work and pay £100 compensation to the girl from whom he stole a phone.
David Hill (18), of Sandhill Farm, appeared in Goole Magistrates' Court on Tuesday and admitted stealing a Nokia mobile phone. The court was told it was worth £200, although no invoice was supplied.
Prosecuting, Julie Laverack Glanville said the female victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was at a house on Morley Street in Old Goole, on May 11 last year. Mr Hill and several other people were there.
During the night Mr Hill asked to borrow the phone on several occasions but, Mrs Glanville said, he did not return it on the last occasion.
"When Mr Hill was asked for it, he said he had already returned it," she said.
A search of the house did not reveal it, and the girl left without her phone.
Mrs Glanville said Mr Hill was later spotted with the phone, and then boasted that he had sold it for £40.
He was arrested and said in a interview that he had given it to a friend.
Defending, Pamela Coxon said the phone had been lent out to Mr Hill and other people on a number of occasions, and the phone had simply been misplaced.
"He saw it in the kitchen the next day and chose not to give it back. He certainly did not hide it," she said.
Mrs Coxon also said her client denied the conversation about selling it for £40 took place.
"He gave it to an older friend. He was not under duress but he felt slightly pressurised,' she said.
In committing the offence, Mr Hill also breached two conditional sentences, relating to offences including attempted theft.
Magistrates ordered him to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work, and to pay the victim £100 in compensation, as well as a £15 victim surcharge.
Published on 17th January 2008 in News.
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Comments
Posted by Anon at 09:39:15 on 22 January 2008
It would have been a conditional discharge, not a conditional sentence. A conditional discharge is anot a sentence; by definition it is a discharge.
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