An opportunist thief has been jailed for impulsively stealing brand new microwaves from a shop only a day after a court handed him a suspended prison sentence.

Wayne Butler was seen hanging around the entrance of electrical store JK Morgan in Great Oak Street, Llanidloes before a shop worker noticed that two Swan retro microwaves were missing.

Welshpool Magistrates' Court was told on Tuesday, October 24, that painters saw a man carrying two bags and pointed the shop worker in the direction of Valentine Court, where Butler lived.

CCTV footage showed the 37-year-old walking down the street carrying large items and then him putting the wrapping in a cupboard in his hallway.

OTHER NEWS:

The microwaves worth almost £150 were later advertised for sale in the Llanidloes area but police only recovered one.

When Butler was arrested, he put his "hands up to it", said prosecutor Shane Maddocks, and admitted he had taken the microwaves.

Mr Maddocks added that Butler, who has 35 convictions for theft, was "very lucky" that his suspended sentence conviction for a public order offence was only the day before the theft.

Robert Hanratty, mitigating, told the court that Butler, who is on remand at HMP Berwyn awaiting sentencing for another matter, was "unlikely to see the light of day to pay losses for the foreseeable future".

County Times:

He said: "It was an opportunist and impulsive theft. There was not much planning. It's much to do with Wayne's lifestyle.

"Dealing with this case is very much a tidying up exercise. With custody we're talking about years not months."

Chair of the magistrates' bench Stephen Pembroke told Butler, who admitted the theft which happened on June 6, that he must serve 14 days in prison and pay £74.99 in compensation to JK Morgan as soon as he is released.

Butler confirmed that he understood before thanking the magistrates.