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Road roller thief avoids jail

From the archive, first published Wednesday 12th Feb 2003.

A man who stole an £8,000 road roller from under the noses of his employers has escaped a prison sentence.

Christopher Emmitt, 47, towed the roller breaker machine -- which is used to flatten road surfaces -- from Skanska, based in Upper Heyford, where he worked as a cable jointer.

A judge at Reading Crown Court heard he then sold the £8,000 machine for just £150 to a man he met in a pub.

The court heard that Emmitt, who was later sacked, was caught on CCTV security cameras towing the machine away with his van.

Sentencing Emmitt, of Soden Road, Upper Heyford, to a community punishment order, Judge Christopher Critchlow said that it was sad to see him before the court for a breach of trust committed on the spur of the moment.

He said Emmitt, who admitted theft, had committed the offence because of financial difficulties, adding: "I accept that this was something that you would normally never have done. This is a serious matter, but I am not going to deprive you of your liberty. You have been punished by losing your job."

Tetteh Turkson, prosecuting, said Emmitt was arrested after being filmed on security cameras towing the roller away with his own van.

He later told police that he had sold the machine to a man in a pub for £150.

Defending Emmitt, Nigel Daly, told the court that he had made numerous attempts to recover the roller breaker and was genuinely remorseful.

Mr Daly added: "The defendant was in very severe financial difficulties when he carried out the offence."