A TEENAGER tried to sell more than £2,000 worth of stolen camera equipment to a city exchange shop, a court has heard.
William Stables, of South Littleton, near Evesham was also caught firing an air rifle at Pitchcroft on the same day, April 30, before causing nearly £100 worth of damage to a police cell after he was arrested.
The 18-year-old attempted to get rid of three Canon camera lenses, valued at £2,700, at Camera Exchange on Pump Street after he had bought them for £100 each, Worcester Magistrates Court heard last Friday (August 8).
Shop workers weren’t convinced the lenses, which were taken overnight on April 21 and 22, were his so made enquiries and subsequently called the police.
At 6.16pm officers were called to a report of three males firing an air rifle at the city centre site, with Stables telling police the weapon was his and they were ‘shooting birds just having fun’, the court also heard.
Stables was taken back to Worcester Police Station and put into a cell where he picked and peeled away at the paint work until the damage was the size of a football.
Defending solicitor Chris Hilton told the court how the teenager has been suffering with mild depression since his parents died when he was just 11 and how he has been ‘taken advantage of’.
Mr Hilton said: “He is someone who lacks self-esteem and therefore has allowed himself to get into a position where he has been taken advantage of by other who are less scrupulous.
“He and another person bought the camera lenses for £100 each but did not know their true value. Whilst not specifically knowing they were stolen, he had the belief they could have been.
“He purchased the air rifle that same day and discharged it at Pitchcroft, firing it at pigeons not realising that in itself was an offence.”
Stables was made subject to a 12-month community order, with supervision, ordered to complete 36 hours at the Senior Attendance Centre and handed a curfew of 16-weeks from 9pm to 7am.
Magistrates also ordered £100 compensation for the damaged cell, court costs of £85 a £60 victim surcharge and forfeiture and destruction of the gun and ammunition.
