Worksop: Man stole charity tin from pharmacy for a joke

A man who stole a charity tin from a pharmacy as a joke, has been given a conditional discharge at Worksop Magistrates’ Court.
In CourtIn Court
In Court

Kyle Whitehead, 18, of Baker Close, Worksop, admitted taking the charity box, which contained only £12.11, from the Worksop Pharmacy on Potter Street on 16th August.

Prosecuting, Ruth Snodin said: “The defendant was identified on CCTV in the pharmacy.”

“He noticed that the charity box on the counter was not chained down and mentioned it to staff, who seemed to take no notice.”

“As a joke, he then took it before initially returning to the pharmacy, only to discover no-one seemed to notice it had gone and so he took it again and gave the contents to someone else.”

Defending, Ian Pridham said: “This was a spur of the moment offence that was meant to be seen as a joke.”

“Mr Whitehead suffers from depression and was intending to give the money to his mother.”

Sentencing, chairman of the bench Mr Johnson said: “It was meant to be a joke and you succumbed to temptation.”

“We all succumb to temptation now and again but the issue here is that you learn the difference between a joke and a crime.”

“Charity is emotive for people and the charity they want to give to is a cause of their choosing, not you.”

Whitehead was given a conditional discharge for one year and ordered to pay back the £12.11 in compensation, plus a £10 victim surcharge and £50 costs.

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