A MAN who stole almost £12,000 worth of goods from shops has been ordered to pay back just "a tiny fraction" of the value.

Alexe Valentin, of no fixed abode, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning for sentence.

The 39-year-old had previously admitted a raft of offences which took place in 2023 and this year, including nine counts of shoplifting, two attempt shoplifting offences and one fail to provide a sample for a class A drug test.

Prosecutor Justin Espie told the court Valentin's offending took him to a number of shops in Mold and Wrexham, as well as others in Cumbria and Merseyside.

He engaged in what Mr Espie said is commonly referred to as "trolley-dash" type offending, and he targeted high value and volume alcohols, as well as electronics such as TVs.

The total value of his thefts came to a staggering £11,929.

Of that total, £10,206.50 remained unrecovered - the goods having been recovered in just one of the nine shoplifting incidents.

Alun Williams, defending, told the court: "He was born in Romania and is a married man, but he separated from his partner six months ago and it's clear he took that badly.

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"Unfortunately he had alcohol and subsequently drug issues.

"He came to the UK for a fresh start with the intention of finding gainful employment, but he didn't have the relevant paperwork so wasn't able to do so.

"He then got into financial difficulties and was unfortunately offered employment in this particular enterprise.

"My instructions are he was paid a daily rate and was taken from store to store - effectively he was the person who went in and took the items, with other people profiting from that.

Alexe Valentin (NWP)Alexe Valentin (NWP) (Image: North Wales Police) "His intention is to go back to Romania at the end of his sentence.

"Bearing in mind full credit for his guilty plea, I ask you to impose immediate custody today."

Deputy District Judge Andrew Garthwaite jailed Valentin for a total of 44 weeks.

The Judge told the defendant: "I am told an amount in excess of £10,000 was unrecovered and compensation is rightly sought by the Crown.

"It's clear from your record in this country and abroad that you're an organised shoplifter and the moral position is that you should pay for your crimes.

"It should be that those who are out of pocket should be compensated to the full amount.

The Leader:

"Nevertheless, I'm somewhat hamstrung in this case by the fact I'm sending you to custody, your lack of means and the fact you're said to be returning to Romania at the end of your sentence.

"The amount I order cannot ever compensate the shops for the loss of monies - nevertheless I do award an amount."

The Judge awarded compensation in the value of £50 for each of the shoplifting offences where the goods were not recovered.

He added: "That's a tiny fraction of the true value in this case. It will be enforced on your release."