A man drowning in debt ‘dipped his hand in the till’ almost every time he went to work for six months, the court heard.
53-year-old David Pritchard pleaded guilty to stealing £3,400 from his employer, Boots in Calne, between December 2019 and May 2020.
Crown prosecutor Tom Power said the defendant, of Queens Crescent, Chippenham, worked for the store five days a week as a shop assistant. During each shift, he would take small amounts – £10, £20, £30 – from the till.
In mitigation, it was heard Pritchard had gone through a ‘bad divorce’, suffered from alcoholism and is medicated for severe anxiety. He told district judge Joanna Dickens his client has debts of £23,000 for unpaid council tax and water bills.
He has no previous convictions, has been engaging with Turning Point for three years and admitted the offence during a police interview.
Judge Dickens imposed a 12-month community order with 15 rehabilitation activity days. A fine was not imposed due to his lack of financial means.
