A WAGON driver siphoned thousands of pounds worth of red diesel from his work vehicle and used it to heat his home.

Jason Randall’s theft from Turners (Soham) Ltd was committed during the course of almost four years, Carlisle Magistrates’ Court was told today (Friday).

Prosecutor George Shelley said the offending ranged between October, 2018, and May this year. That was while 47-year-old Randall had been an agency driver attached to the freezer and cold store haulier.

Evidence had been pulled together by the company. “It shows this defendant left the base in Penrith and would travel 6-7km to a layby,” said Mr Shelley.

“He has parked in the layby before siphoning red diesel from it into a petrol container. Between October, 2018, and May, Mr Randall visited the layby in Penrith 138 times and siphoned red diesel to the value of £7,464.”

That was the upper value of the theft according to the company’s calculations, the lower figure being £3,384.

“When Mr Randall was interviewed he fully admitted the offence and stated he had used the red diesel to help heat his home.

"He was apologetic and remorseful,” Mr Shelley told magistrates.

“It is a breach of a high degree of trust; significant planning.”

Randall, of Friars Garth, Abbeytown, had committed no previous crimes during five to six years in the UK. A record from New Zealand showed four previous dishonesty offences.

Jeff Smith, mitigating, said Randall “hadn’t the remotest idea” how much fuel he had dishonestly taken.

“He was an agency driver for the firm in question. He didn’t have a particularly great income. He lives with his wife of five years and her three children,” Mr Smith said in his address to magistrates.

“Money was tight. They struggled to get by as many do. What he did, as Mr Shelley has told you, was to siphon fuel. He used the red diesel in a generator at home to benefit his wife and three children, and of course himself, too.”

“He admitted the offence immediately,” added Mr Smith. “As a consequence of being discovered, Mr Randall lost his work. He isn’t working at the moment. Because of his status in the UK, he isn’t entitled to benefits.

“He is very sorry for what he did. He knows that what he did was stupid. He knows that what he did was bound to catch up with him.”

Magistrates suspended a 26-week prison sentence for 12 months. Randall must complete 100 hours’ unpaid work and pay a £500 compensation contribution.

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