A THIEF who told the court he was ‘deeply ashamed’ that he stole money from a charity box has been spared jail.

Graham Goodall pinched the contents of the container and tuck shop money after rummaging through employees’ drawers.

The 43-year-old described his own actions as ‘despicable’, while he was told that they amounted to a ‘nasty breach of trust’

He admitted a charge of burglary with intent to steal and was sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Tuesday.

Angela Blackmore, prosecuting, explained how the offence occurred on March 14 this year in Daresbury.

Goodall was employed as a member of security staff with the responsibility of opening up, unlocking the doors and deactivating the alarm in the morning before workers arrived.

On the day in question, he entered Semperian Business Support, based at Cinnabar Court, as normal and deactivated the alarm.

However, he then helped himself to cash from a charity box and tuck shop money from envelopes found in drawers to the total value of around £600.

An investigation began after the missing cash was discovered and Goodall was arrested.

He initially denied stealing the cash to police, but he later admitted it, stating that he did so in order to pay off a drug debt.

The court heard how Goodall has eight previous convictions for 15 offences.

Warrington Guardian: The business was located at Daresbury Park (Image: Google Maps)The business was located at Daresbury Park (Image: Google Maps)

Ms Blackmore said that the crime displayed a ‘breach of trust and responsibility’.

Despite having permission to enter the building to do his job, his actions constituted as trespassing by going beyond his remit by looking through drawers.

Goodall, who appeared in court without legal representation, admitted that his actions were ‘despicable’, particularly in stealing the charity money.

He told the court that he was ‘deeply ashamed’ of what he had done and that he was in a dark place at the time.

“There are no excuses for what I did. I was not thinking straight. It has taken this for me to realise I have got a serious problem,” he said.

The defendant explained that he had worked for the company for a long time but can no longer work in security, however he has secured full-time employment since in a factory.

Before sentencing, district judge Nicholas Sanders said: “You have let a lot of people down, including yourself and your employer.

“This was a nasty breach of trust. Taking a charity box is horrible.”

However, due to the defendant having a ‘good prospect of rehabilitation going forwards’ by taking ‘good steps’, he was spared a jail sentence.

Goodall, of Exmouth Crescent in Runcorn, was sentenced to a community order including 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 180 hours of unpaid work and an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement for 90 days.

He must also pay back the £600 in compensation to the company, as well as £85 in court costs and a surcharge to fund victim services of £95.