Last updated at 12:52, Monday, 07 January 2013

WHEN a Barrow thief realised he needed a new inner-tube for his bike, his solution was not to visit a local cycle shop.

KEVIN COTTER

Instead Kevin Cotter, from High Lea Walk, decided to steal another bike so could repair his own.

Cotter pleaded guilty to theft of a pedal cycle at Furness Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Cotter, 46, who was described as a ‘regular’ visitor to court, claimed he took a bicycle belonging to Matthew Henson on New Year’s Day because he had a puncture on his own bike.

The court heard how Mr Henson had left his cycle near Furness Academy for a few days, but when he returned it had been removed.

Mr Andrew Dodd, prosecuting said: “He believes he locked his bike with a bike chain, but he can’t recall if he took the key out of the lock.

“When he saw the bike had been removed he took steps to establish what happened.

“There is CCTV covering the area and he was able to access that through the college authorities.

“It showed a male, known to the complainant, riding up to the bike, removing the lock and riding away on his own bike while holding the stolen one.”

The footage was given to police, and Cotter was subsequently arrested.

He claims to have left the bike near bins in the Park Road area, after removing a wheel and taking it to his home.

Mr Michael Graham, defending, said: “He co-operated fully with investigators.”

Mr Graham also said that Cotter’s last offence was in September 2011, and he had taken steps to get his life back together after giving up a chronic glue sniffing addiction.

Cotter claimed he would have attempted to sell on the stolen bike, but it was not in good enough condition.

Mr Henson, however, had valued the bike at £100.

Magistrate Mrs Margaret Rogerson fined Cotter £100 and ordered him to pay compensation of £100, a victim surcharge of £20 and court costs of £75.

First published at 16:19, Friday, 04 January 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk