Last updated at 16:49, Thursday, 06 September 2012

A MAN proved he was not the sharpest tool in the box when he hired power tools and sold them on at a secondhand shop.

Darren Walmsley, who appeared before Furness Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, said he had been partly driven to the act by the death of his dog.

The court was told how Walmsley hired three tools from Dalton Tool Hire, in Hindpool Road, Barrow, between August 6 and August 8, only to go and sell them on to a secondhand shop.

Mrs Lisa Hine, prosecuting, said Walmsley, 42, of Grasmere Road, Ulverston, had hired a power washer, power saw and a power tool transformer.

However, on August 9, the owner of Dalton Tool Hire discovered the tools had been sold to a Barrow secondhand shop for £125.

Mrs Hine said: “Information was received by the owner that the power tools that had been rented to the defendant were now in Cash in a Dash, in Dalton Road, in Barrow.”

Walmsley was arrested and admitted his guilt, saying he was an odd job man, but had been struggling for work, Mrs Hine said.

The £125 had been used to pay debts, she said.

Although the power tools – which had an estimated total value of £900 – were returned to the owner, Cash in a Dash had still been left £125 out of pocket, she added.

Walmsley, who represented himself, said he had not been in trouble with the police for six years and felt stupid for breaking the law after so long.

He said: “My dog died, I had things on my mind and, I don’t know, it was just a stupid thing, I shouldn’t have done it.

“I have kept clean for six years and I have been going great. I wish I had never done it.”

He pleaded guilty to theft and fraud by false representation.

Walmsley also admitted failing to answer bail after he missed a court hearing at Furness Magistrates’ Court on August 23.

Chairman of the magistrates, Mr Les Johnson, fined him £50 for the fraud and another £50 for the theft.

He was fined an additional £25 for failing to answer bail, £35 costs, a £15 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £125 compensation to Cash in a Dash.

First published at 16:22, Thursday, 06 September 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk