A CONVICTED thief who stole thousands of pounds from a repairs business which had given him a second chance has been jailed for 18 months.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Roger Allen Brakewell, 41, pocketed money he had been authorised to take by Accrington-based Timpsons Ltd to repair trophies which were then to be sold on. On other occasions he also stole money directly from the till.

He admitted a charge of theft from an employer when appearing before Blackburn magistrates last year. The case was sent to the crown court after magistrates ruled their sentencing powers were insufficient.

The case was adjourned by two different judges last year after Brakewell, who pleaded guilty to stealing £4,320 at the magistrates court, disputed the exact amount he had taken.

Ms Kehoe said: “The Crown’s case in relation to this defendant is he stole money from Timpsons in two ways.

"The first way was by taking money which was authorised for him to take out of the till.

"The money was to be used by him to have trophies repaired and sold on. He took money that was authorised for him to take but he didn’t do with that money what he was supposed to do and instead pocketed it.

“He then went on on a number of occasions to take money that he had never been authorised to take."

The case was adjourned for a third time last month after Brakewell’s barrister Julian Goode said his client had not been given enough time to contact witnesses.

Mr Goode said his client had always accepted stealing money over a two-month period in 2016 but said he wouldn’t be able to say the exact amount without seeing receipts.

But he said the defence had only been told the receipts didn’t exist the day before the previous hearing was due to take place and he hadn’t been given enough time to find witnesses who could support his case.

The case was heard by Recorder Mukhtar Hussain QC in Preston’s Sessions House on Friday.

Brakewell, of Langden Crescent, Bamber Bridge, was jailed for 12 months for the theft offence. He was given a consecutive sentence of six months for an unrelated fraud offence, which was sent to the crown court by Sefton magistrates.