Shropshire men stole from farms to sell at auctions
Two farm workers who stole gates, cattle grids and metal sheeting worth thousands of pounds were told by a judge that they had "breached the trust of the local farming community".
Judge recorder Nigel Daly told David Pugh and Ian Powell that they had "preyed" on their own community as he jointly sentenced them for four counts of theft.
Recorder Daly said that although the men had tried to blame each other for their actions he would treat them the same.
Ms Lisa Hancox, prosecuting at Shrewsbury Crown Court, said that Pugh, aged 35, and Powell, aged 53, had driven to four farms stealing heavy items like gates, troughs, metal sheeting and other parts which they then sold at auction.
The two men had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of theft between September 2014 and January 2015, with Pugh also admitting one further offence and asking for 17 more similar thefts to be taken into consideration.
Ms Hancox said the pair had driven to farms and loaded the equipment onto a flat-bed truck.
Shropshire men stole from farms to sell at auctions
She said police became involved after one of the farmers sent a text message to Pugh's girlfriend asking her to thank him for stealing her metal sheep hurdles.
She was told that Pugh had indeed stolen them and that he was taking them to the Beeston Castle Auction in Cheshire, where he had previously taken other items.
Ms Hancox said the farmer had attended the auction and identified Pugh to police.
The court was told that Pugh had begun the thefts to pay back £1,000 he had borrowed from Powell to repair his car.
Mr Michael Sherwood-Smith, for Pugh, said that by the time the debt had been paid off "the offending had become too easy."
Both men were given 12-month community orders with 12-months of supervision and 160 hours of unpaid work. They were also ordered to pay £300 prosecution costs.
He said that Pugh had come to work on Powell's father's farm at Steel Heath near Whitchurch where the two of them still shared a cottage.
Both men were of previous good character with no previous convictions, the court was told.
Mr Sherwood-Smith said Pugh had "clearly shown some remorse" and was working to remedy his actions.
Mr Andrew Holland, for Powell, said that his client was a man of limited intelligence who had worked on his father's farm all his life.
He said Powell led a "very simple and modest lifestyle" and had received little benefit from the thefts once he had received his money back.
