Court finds thief guilty in his absence

Jacob McDonough, 22, from Tan y Bryn, Llanidloes, was due to stand trial at Welshpool Magistrates Court yesterday but failed to attend.

In his absence, McDonough was found guilty of stealing a jacket, a pair of trainers and a tattoo gun set from a house in Forden on April 19.

He had denied a charge of theft in relation to the incident, but the trial went ahead in his absence.

Miss Frances Willmott, prosecuting, said: "McDonough had been at a house near Forden on the evening of April 18 and early hours of April 19.

"When the residents of the house, Lee Page and Zoe Sterry, went to bed, they said it was fine for McDonough and another man to sleep downstairs.

"However at 7.55am on the morning of April 19, police were called to McDonough walking in the middle of the main A483 near Garthmyl with a jacket, trainers and a tattoo gun set which belonged to Mr Page.

"He was arrested and interviewed, but said he had been allowed to take the items from the house."

Miss Willmott said officers called Miss Sterry and Mr Page who identified the items and said they had not given permission for them to be removed from the house.

Magistrates took two minutes to find McDonough guilty.

McDonough had already admitted a charge of burgling Llanidloes Health Centre on December 18 last year, taking an unknown quantity of cash, sweets and food.

He had also admitted a charge of handling stolen goods in that he was in possession of two televisions worth £998 belonging to Maes y Wennol residential care home, Llanidloes, between December 13 and January 13, 2014.

He had also admitted stealing a garden gnome worth £30 belonging to Eileen Jones of Llanidloes on December 17 or 18 last year, and he admitted a charge of theft in that he took an unknown quantity of alcohol from the Spar in Llanidloes on January 11.

A warrant without bail was issued for McDonough who will be sentenced for all the matters back at the court at the earliest opportunity.