Prolific offender from Barry jailed for handling stolen goods (From Barry And District News)

Prolific offender from Barry jailed for handling stolen goods

12:10pm Thursday 4th October 2012 in News

A PROLIFIC offender from Barry has been jailed for 28 months for handling stolen goods – which he intended to sell in order to furnish his new flat.

Judge Philip Richards, sitting at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, September 27, sentenced Peter Vincent Nettleship to 12-month and 16-month consecutive terms, after he admitted two counts of handling stolen goods.

The items had been taken during house burglaries in Barry in June and July this year. The court heard that 39-year-old Nettleship, of Osprey Court, had a record of 100 previous offences including theft, going equipped for theft, vehicle taking, and driving while disqualified.

Prosecutor David Warren said Nettleship had been found to have property from burglaries in Merthyr Street and Brook Street, which included headphones, an external hard drive, men's watches, a Royal Marine watch and a personalised Zippo lighter.

He had attempted to pass the goods on at JKS Jewellers in Holton Road, but ran from police and was arrested in Hanover Street.

Members of the public had seen him dump the watches in an Evans Street garden, but he denied he had stolen the items himself.

Mr Warren said: "He is somebody with a long record of offences."

Defending, Derek Goodman said Nettleship was on licence at the time and had an "unenviable" record of offences.

"The reason for accepting them (the goods) was to pawn them and sell them to furnish his new flat," he said.

Sentencing Nettleship, Judge Richards said it was regretful that the public would have to pay the cost of the prosecution.