A HAVERFORDWEST lorry driver and his partner stole £3,000 worth of furniture from a former landlord, claiming it was their own, a court heard

Jonathan Baker, 43, and Linda May Evans of Nubian Avenue had previously denied stealing the large collection of furniture and household goods from former landlord Mr Walker in Milford Haven on August 31 of last year.

Baker and Evans were found guilty at a trial at Haverfordwest magistrates last Monday, August 10.

The court heard Mr Walker was a former colleague of Baker’s.

They were sentenced the following day, August 11, following an ‘all options’ probation services report by Julie Norman.

Prosecuting, Vaughan Pritchard-Jones said lorry driver Mr Walker had previously bought a property to rent out, and had agreed to let Baker and Evans move in without a bond.

“They abused that trust, leaving that property and taking a lot of furniture with them,” said Mr Pritchard-Jones.

“The defendants completely denied it, they said it was their property,” he added.

The court heard the majority of the property was recovered.

Julie Norman of the probation services said the couple, who have five children, still maintained it was their property.

She said the couple had only rented from Mr Walker for a short time, leaving over issues about money.

The court heard Baker had previous convictions for dishonesty but Evans had no previous convictions.

Defending Baker, Mark Layton said: “Mr Baker still protests his innocence.”

He said there was “equal culpability” by both Baker and Evans, and a proposed suspended sentence for him and a fine for his partner would not be “a sustainable argument”.

Magistrates heard Baker, previously unemployed, had secured a new job as a lorry driver but the couple could not offer more than £8 a week each in repayment of court debts.

Baker was placed on a community order with 100 hours of unpaid work; with costs of £450, a £60 surcharge, and £50 compensation.

Evans was fined £165, with compensation of £50, a surcharge of £20, and costs of £450.

The court accepted that Baker and Evans would repay the total amount of £1,245 at a rate of £8 a week each.