Whitchurch pair admit stealing £14,000 of farm equipment
Farm gates and other agricultural equipment worth almost £14,000 were stolen from across north Shropshire and sold at auction, a court heard.
Two men who lifted the gates off their hinges and loaded them onto a trailer, appeared before Shrewsbury magistrates yesterday.
Ian Francis Powell, 51, and David Leonard Pugh, 35, both of Steel Heath, Whitchurch, admitted four charges, the largest stealing 20 cattle hurdles, 10 feed troughs, eight field gates, a bale handler, 40 sheep hurdles and other equipment worth £12,370 belonging to Jonathan Grocott, from Wem.
They also admitted stealing four metal gates worth £280 and eight gates worth £800 from Whitchurch, and stealing five gates and other equipment worth £500 from Wem.
Magistrates, who heard the offences took place between September last year and January this year, declined jurisdiction and committed the case to the crown court, for sentence on a date to be fixed.
Mr Andrew Holland, for Pugh, said his client also asked for 17 other offences to be taken into consideration.
