Driver who stole £28k shipment of cereal then said he had given it to foodbank convicted

A delivery driver who stole a large shipment of cereal, then lied about donating it to a foodbank, has been convicted.

Clifford Wyatt, 43, of Lund Avenue in Radcliffe, had been working at Bramhall Transport in Warrington for just six days when he entered the company's site in October last year and took a tractor.

Driving the unit to the nearby MAXI Haulage depot, he loaded up a large trailer containing £28,163 worth of Wheat Bisk cereal and drove nearly 30 miles to Meadow Self Storage in Failsworth, Manchester, where an associate was waiting to help him unload his haul.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Wyatt stole a total 792 containers each containing 22 boxes of Wheat Bisk, which is often stocked in Aldi.

After unloading the pallets, he returned the trailer and tractor to Warrington, where the missing shipment was quickly discovered.

Prosecutor Joanne Daniels, at Liverpool Crown Court said: "Bramhall Transport manager Thomas Jones, having checked the CCTV, rang Wyatt for an explanation. The defendant admitted taking the tractor... He claimed he had taken it to a foodbank in Oldham as it was damaged stock, and claimed the yard manager had given him permission to go."

However, the yard manager said no such interaction had occurred.

Ms Daniels said: "Enquiries were made to Oldham foodbank and it was found the foodbank is actually closed on Sundays, and they only accept small donations. They could not accept large donations from HGVs, and didn't receive any Wheat Bisks on October 8."

The court heard Wyatt had attended the foodbank on 9 October and attempted to obtain a receipt saying he had donated the boxes of cereal.

On 18 October, the manager of Bramhall Transport attended Meadow Self Storage and retrieved the majority of the Wheat Bisks, which had been stored in six lockers.

Wyatt, who has three past convictions for four offences including theft, pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without consent, and theft.

In his defence Olivia Beesley said: "While he does have previous convictions they are limited. He has not offended in 20 years prior to this. There's a realistic rehabilitation prospect and he has shown he can, and has, lived a law abiding life.

"The defendant did lose his job due to this offending and it was a great loss to him. However he didn't sit by and remain unemployed, but he secured stable employment again as a HGV driver. His family are dependent on him financially. There are three children aged eight, 12, and 10.

"His partner is a full time carer for their 10-year-old so she doesn't work. The family are completely reliant on him to survive. He also supports the family in an emotional way."

Sentencing, judge David Potter said: "There was significant planning in the time you chose to commit the theft, preparing the storage containers ready to receive the stolen goods, and attempt to hide your criminal activities. It's aggravated by your attempt to place blame on others.

"You have come perilously close to going to custody today. What has saved you is the fact that your family is reliant on you and your income. But it's a fact you should reflect upon that you had no thought for your family when you chose to act as selfishly as you did in stealing a shipment from your employers."

He sentenced Wyatt, of Lund Avenue, Radcliffe, to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months. He ordered him to carry out 20 rehabilitation days, 100 hours of unpaid work, and to pay £400 in court costs.