A POWYS man said he felt "pressured" into buying stolen fragrances because he feared the secrets of his past being exposed.

Michael Roger Davies bought £160 worth of stolen fragrances from another man at the hostel he was staying at, saying he did so because the man he bought them off told him he would tell people about his past convictions.

Davies, 39, admitted one charge of handling stolen goods when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, January 19.

Prosecutor Kevin Challinor said the stolen fragrances amounted to £525 in value and were stolen by another man from Boots in Llandrindod on November 13 last year; he was staying at the same hostel in town as Davies.

“Police received a call from Boots of a theft,” said Mr Challinor.

“They gave information to the police which led to a search of the defendant’s address. The defendant was sharing the accommodation with another individual, known as Alan Talbot. He said he bought some stuff from him for £160.

“He said ‘He pressurised me into buying them’. He was arrested and produced some fragrances stolen from the store. When interviewed, he said he received them from a male and knew they were stolen. He was offered a conditional caution but failed to comply with the requirements of it.”

Acting for Davies, of Gwynfa, Lant Avenue, Llandrindod, Gareth Walters said: “It’s not that he did not comply, he wasn’t eligible as he was on licence at the time, which prevented him from being allowed one.

“It wasn’t a refusal on his part, it was because he wasn’t eligible in the first place.”

Of the offence, Mr Walters added: “Officers went to the shared hostel, they were searching another room when the defendant called them aside to tell them the items they were looking for were in his room.

“He said he was told to buy them or the other man would reveal details of his previous convictions to the public. He is on licence until October.

“He has learnt the error of his ways and since distanced himself from the other male.”

Davies was fined £80 fine and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £34 surcharge.