Scared paver sold hired digger to pay off debts

A self-employed Staffordshire paver in crippling debt to loan sharks sold a hired digger following threats to break his legs, a court heard.

Martin Henden borrowed £3,000 when his business ran in to financial difficulties, but the sharks then demanded £6,500 to clear the loan. Mr Nick Burn, prosecuting, told

Stafford Crown Court that Henden hired the mechanical digger, worth £13,000, from Pickerings in Stafford and sold it almost immediately for £4,000 to raise the cash to clear his debts.

Mr Burn said Henden continued to "fob off" the hire firm that he needed to keep the digger for use and actually paid £1,000 in hire fees.

But he eventually went to a police station and confessed to what he had done. Henden told officers he had been under pressure and threats had been made to break his legs if he didn't get the money.

Henden, aged 38, of Marconi Place, Hednesford, admitted a charge of theft committed on October 27 last year, from Pickerings, which is based in Tollgate Drive, Stafford.

But the judge, Recorder Mr David Hall, deferred sentence and gave Henden five months to raise £7,000 compensation for the hire company.

The judge told him: "You immediately went out and sold this digger.

"You have told me you were in debt. You did go to the police and admit it, you have family responsibilities and you have earning capacity.

"I'm deferring sentence on the following conditions – you save at least £6,000, preferably £7,000, as compensation and don't commit any more offences.

"If you do that, I have in mind a three-month suspended prison sentence."

Mr Chris Clark, defending, said: "My client was in some financial difficulties and he took out a loan from loan sharks.

"When the money couldn't be repaid and the threats came, that's when he embarked on this dishonest act. He paid the debt and fobbed off the hire company. He does feel bad about it."