Metal thief in £4k raid on charity and hospital

A metal thief targeted a hospital and a charity, stealing more than £4,000 in lead, a court heard.

Andrew Haddock stole lead at Stafford Hospital and a building owned by Age UK in the town.

Cannock Magistrates Court heard the 21-year-old had earlier admitted taking lead worth £2,000 from the roof of the Mid Staffordshire Postgraduate Medical Centre, based at Stafford Hospital.

Mr Giles Rowden, prosecuting, said the removal of the lead had also caused £5,760 of damage to the roof.

On the same night, between September 15 and 16 last year, the court heard that £2,146 worth of lead was taken from Bradbury House, a building owned by charity Age UK, in Weston Road, Stafford.

Haddock, of Ogley Road, Brownhills, was caught after being spotted on Stafford Hospital's CCTV system.

Defending, Mr David Grice said that Haddock, who previously lived in Canford Place, Cannock, has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty at an early stage and needs help to understand some points of the criminal justice system.

He said: "He is a young man who needs an appropriate adult and who is not able to understand all of the procedures."

Haddock was due to be sentenced last Friday but did not turn up to court in time, so he also faced a third charge of failing to surrender to court bail.

Haddock was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, along with a 12 month community order, and ordered to pay £500 in compensation.

Chief magistrate Jennifer Webb said all three charges had been taken in to consideration.

Haddock, who is currently on benefits, was ordered to pay back his compensation at £10 per fortnight.