Walsall delivery driver stole £25k of mobile phones from Carphone Warehouse

Craig Lowe, of Aldridge, was eventually caught due to a tracking device fitted to his van, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

None of the handsets and accessories Lowe was supposed to be dropping off have ever been recovered.

The former agency driver, who was given a suspended prison sentence, carried out the theft on August 27, 2013 after collecting the consignment from the company's depot, in Bilston Road, Wednesbury.

Prosecuting barrister Mr Trevor Meegan told Wolverhampton Crown Court that the goods disappeared without a trace after the defendant, who has previous convictions for dishonesty, made an unscheduled stop at a property in the Walsall area.

Lowe, aged 29, of Walsall Wood Road, previously denied one charge of stealing mobile phones and accessories from Carphone Warehouse, but was convicted following a trial in March.

He was immediately remanded in custody for making a rude gesture to the jury when the guilty verdict was announced.

Defending barrister Mr David Swinnerton said: "He has sent a letter to the judge. He has apologised for it and he has been taught a lesson because he has spent the last month in custody for what was a rather stupid act. It was done in the heat of the moment having being convicted of the theft. He has now accepted his part in the offence.

"The van stopped for eight minutes in a street. He had been out of trouble for a while, at the time of this offence."

Judge John Walsh said: "You breached your position of trust while working as an agency driver. You were required to deliver phones to various shops and you have accepted in your letter that you stole the items that were in your possession that were due to be delivered.

"The evidence against you was in fact overwhelming. You did not have the sense of decency to accept your guilt. You richly deserve to go to prison today for it and for your disgraceful conduct towards the members of the jury," Judge Walsh said.

But the judge said he was prepared to accept the recommendations set out in reports to punish him with a community sentence, as long as Lowe carried out unpaid work.

He sentenced him to 18 months jail suspended for two years, three months curfew with an electronic tag between 8pm and 6am, 200 hours unpaid work and a two-year supervision order.