Man stole £600 from his girlfriend to buy drugs

Man stole £600 from his girlfriend to buy drugs

James Christopher Power (33), of St Helier, stole the money to buy Valium in a bid to sell it and make a profit, but the Magistrate’s Court heard how he ended up taking too much of the drug himself.

He previously admitted a larceny offence, along with another offence on a separate date after stealing a mobile phone from a charity shop, from a victim who had learning difficulties.

He was also sentenced for breaching a probation order.

The court heard how the offences had left a lasting impact on the victims, and when sentencing him to 110 hours of community service and a six-month probation order, the Magistrate, Bridget Shaw, said: ‘These thefts are not victimless offences, even though the bank has reimbursed the money.

‘With all the information I have I am prepared to give you a chance with community service. If you breach this you know exactly what to expect.’

Police legal adviser Simon Crowder told the court that Power had been in a relationship with the victim and when she looked at her bank account on 25 February as she had to pay for a vet bill, realised it had £600 less than she thought.

The previous day £100 had been taken out, before two other transactions of £250.

She knew the defendant knew her bank code, and asked him about it and he said he had taken the money to invest and would give it back to her.

When arrested by the police he said he intended to buy cut-price Valium and sell it for a profit, but he took too many himself and was unable to make a profit.

The second offence, on
2 March, involved taking a mobile phone from Silkworth charity shop.

A customer had left her phone on the counter and returned to work. Power was in the shop, with staff later telling police he looked like he was on drugs and rifling through clothes.

Staff approached him to ask if it was his phone, he replied ‘Yes’, and then left the shop shortly after.

Later in the day the victim, who has learning difficulties, realised she did not have the phone, and it was discovered Power had taken it.

Advocate Francesca Pinel, defending, said her client had pleaded guilty to one matter and changed his plea in the other to prevent the victim having to give evidence at trial.

She added her client had been on a detox, and in the second offence he had told the police where to find the phone and it was returned to the victim.

He had been co-operative with police and was remorseful for his actions, according to the advocate.

Mrs Shaw added: ‘This morning I am just, and only just, persuaded to give you a chance.

‘You are old enough to know there won’t be many more options for community service and probation. This is an opportunity to be grasped.’

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