A MAN has been handed a community order after a high value theft from a Wrexham electronics store.

Brendon Brain, of Oracle Drive in Waterlooville, Hampshire, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old admitted that on January 6, he stole various Apple products, collectively worth more than £1,500, from Currys at Plas Coch Retail Park.

Prosecutor Rhian Jackson told the court that on the day of the offence, a customer notified staff at the store that a man was "rummaging" in a cabinet containing laptops and Apple items.

As the store manager approached the man, who turned out to be Brain, and told him to get out of the cupboard, he replied: "I'm not in the f****** cupboard."

He was told the police were to be called, to which he said: "Go on then, ring the f****** police, I haven't taken anything," and walked out of the store swearing.

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When CCTV was reviewed, Brain could be seen entering Currys and forcibly opening one of the Apple cabinets before taking items.

Not long later, he was seen walking out of the store with a laptop bag, which had also been stolen.

Then the footage showed him returning to the store and forcing another cabinet open, which is when he was spotted by the customer and reported.

The items taken, worth some £1,784.99, were not recovered.

Ms Jackson said he had 34 convictions for 102 previous offences; 69 of which were thefts and related mater committed in various parts of the country.

His last court appearance had been in 2021 for shoplifting, for which he received a community order.

Stephen Edwards, defending, told the court: "He is still working with the probation service in Hampshire and is undertaking unpaid work on the existing order.

"He doesn't accept that he's travelled to Wrexham to shoplift; the situation was that he was actually co-habiting with a young lady who moved to Wrexham as he was in a relationship with her.

"It's fair to say he had a drug issue and the shoplifting is a direct result of that.

"His drug situation is under control and his uncle has taken him on as a labourer, so it's not all doom and gloom."

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Probation officer Andrew Connah confirmed to the court that the defendant had been engaging with probation colleagues in Hampshire, and had "just started really getting into the unpaid work."

Mr Connah added that Brain had abstained from drugs for two or three months.

He described the work with his uncle as "a real positive," and put forward a package of probation support to continue with the defendant's rehabilitation.

The court ordered the defendant to pay compensation of £1,784.99, as well as £85 costs.

His existing community order was revoked and a new one of 12 months was imposed, to incorporate the outstanding 86 hours of unpaid work he already had - plus another 80 for the new offence.

Brain must also undertake 15 days of rehabilitation activity.

Nicholas Colbourne, chairman of the magistrates, told the defendant: "People have said some decent stuff about you. Grasp that, and do something with your life."