Ollerton champagne thief lost fortune through gambling

A former businessman who stole champagne from Tesco in Ollerton had gambled away his fortune, a court heard.
Mansfield Magistrates' CourtMansfield Magistrates' Court
Mansfield Magistrates' Court

Wayne Singleton ran to a parked car and drove off after he was challenged by staff at the store on Edison Rise, on October 13, last year, but his licence number was traced.

Singleton, 48, of Redgrave Place, Flanderwell, Rotherham, admitted stealing £59 of shopping when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Thursday.

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He and a female companion were spotted on CCTV and staff followed them outside, said Robert Carr, prosecuting.

He fled after telling staff he had no time to get a receipt.

Singleton told police he had “panicked” when questioned on December 16.

Zahra Hussain, mitigating, said the offence was “completely out of character for him.”

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He was a successful businessman who had his own properties, including a snooker club, she said, but he lost everything because of a gambling addiction.

Singleton subsequently worked at DFS for four years but “struggled with the change in lifestyle”, and fell into depression, the court heard.

“He says this was a wake-up call for him,” said Ms Hussain, adding Singleton, who was on ESA, was due to start a new job.

He had a previous, unrelated, conviction from 2010.

Singleton was fined £120 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30.

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