Gareth Richards pictured leaving an earlier hearing.
A SECURITY guard entrusted with loss prevention at a Swansea department store has escaped jail despite stealing £40,000 worth of stock and selling it on eBay.
Gareth Richards, of Graigola Road, Glais in Swansea, was fired from his position at the Debenhams store at Swansea's Quadrant Shopping Centre after the thefts were uncovered.
Swansea Crown Court was told the 36-year-old had stolen clothing, watches, jewellery and leather goods to the value of around £40,000, between November 2010 and August 2012.
The court heard staff at Debenhams set up a covert CCTV camera above the shop's jewellery counter and caught Griffiths in the act of unlocking a cabinet and removing goods.
Mari Richards stood trial after being accused of selling the stolen goods for profit on eBay — which she denied.
A jury failed to reach a verdict and the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case.
Prosecuting, Janet Gedrych said: "Mr Richards was entrusted with the keys to the store — this is a high degree of trust and an offence carried out over a considerable length of time."
The court heard the defendant "reaped the benefits" after selling the items on eBay returning £22,926.85 from their sale.
Paul Hobson, for Richards, asked the judge for any jail time to be suspended on account of his client's early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, the positive impact on the community as a rugby coach, and the age of the offence, which has seen the case "hanging over him and his family" for three years.
"He is embarrassed by it and the effect it has had on his family," said Mr Hobson.
Sentencing Richards, Recorder Mark Powell QC said: "It was clearly a significant and well thought-out attempt of depriving Debenhams of what was theirs.
"You were employed by Debenhams to prevent the very thing you were doing."
But he said he had taken on board the mitigation from Richards's counsel.
He sentenced Richards to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years.
The defendant was also ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work, and abide by a supervision order for 12 months.
Read more: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/jail-40-000-Debenhams-theft/story-28136608-detail/story.html#ixzz3qvekMrvy
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