Landlord faked Wednesfield robbery with pals to steal cash

James Harding arranged to walk down the road with a bag of cash from his Wednesfield pub as if going to the post office and for his friends to strike.

He even agreed to be punched in the stomach in case anyone witnessed the drama unfold last month, Wolverhampton magistrates heard yesterday. Mrs Jennifer Winzor, prosecuting, said the plan was to split the cash three ways.

But police became suspicious when they learnt 26-year-old Harding had been due to leave The Castle pub in Wood End Road that same week. Marston's had refused to pay him back his £4,000 deposit because his stock had been down two months in a row, in April and May.

Mrs Winzor said officers thought it 'convenient' that the amount of cash in the bag that was taken was similar to the amount the brewery had refused to pay Harding back – £3,881.75.

Alarm bells also rang when Harding did not seem to be very bothered about his apparent ordeal, Mrs Winzor added.

"When officers interviewed staff, none of them seemed to believe the robbery had taken place," she said. "Harding had had a breakdown with his partner of nine years in January, with whom he has two children, and he has been depressed.

"He had been having lock-ins with his friends and giving away drink, staff said. He had left most of the running of the pub to his staff.

"Staff had not received all their wages and they believed he was struggling."

Mrs Winzor said Harding's apparent motivation was 'he knew when he left the pub he would have nothing and nowhere to go'.

He was arrested and one of the men Harding named to officers interviewed but denied any involvement. He was released without further action being taken. The second has not yet been interviewed and the cash not recovered.

Harding admitted theft between January and May of £7,000 stock belonging to Marston's in court yesterday. He also admitted a charge of theft on May 7, which covered the £3,881.75 cash in the bag stolen in the bogus robbery.

He admitted obstructing a police constable in the execution of their duty on May 7 in that he falsely claimed he had been robbed.

Mr Mohammed Kasujee, defending Harding, said his client was of previous good character and asked magistrates to adjourn the case for reports. Harding, of Wood End Road, Wednesfield, was granted conditional bail and will next appear at the same court on July 11.