Man fined for thefts from Primark in Wrexham and Broughton

Aaron Boardman, of Jacques Way, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old admitted three counts of theft from shop.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, told the court all three took place on November 10 last year.

The first, at Primark in Broughton, involved the theft of £2,740.20 worth of clothing.

The next two offences were in Wrexham; firstly the theft of clothes worth £117 from Primark and then £225.05 worth of food from Iceland.

Justin Espie said the defendant had entered the stores with other people and selected large amounts of items - collectively worth more than £3,400.

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Some 15 bags of goods were later recovered.

Mr Espie branded the offences "pre-meditated and high value."

In mitigation the court heard Boardman had learning difficulties and had admitted the thefts to police.

He "wasn't going to make any profit," his solicitor told the court, and had been "used to some degree."

Boardman was described as a "naïve young man" who got "drawn into" the offences.

District Judge Gwyn Jones handed down fines totalling £400 for the three offences and ordered Boardman to pay £85 costs, as well as an £80 victim surcharge.

"This would appear to be your first involvement in offending of this nature," the Judge told him.

"I am persuaded to deal with you in this way today - lenient, maybe.

"But any future offending will be dealt with differently, and may entail custody."