Shop hits back at judge's rap

From the archive, first published Saturday 17th Mar 2007.

The boss of a shop that unknowingly bought stolen goods from a Mirfield burglar today hit back at strong criticism from a judge.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC warned Cash Generators in Huddersfield that it could be prosecuted for refusing to return goods burgled by Darren Walker last Christmas.

Walker, 24, of Eastway Park, Mirfield, sold a stereo, games console and DVDs to the shop, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

It was alleged in court that Cash Generators wants compensation before giving back the goods.

Sentencing Walker to a community order, the judge said the shop could be committing the offence of handling stolen goods.

He added: "I require these goods to be returned to the lawful owners or these people will be warned in the first instance that they are retaining and refusing to give up stolen property and if they continue to do that I will ask the police to step in.

"It's outrageous that Cash Generators are effectively holding either the court or the owners to ransom saying they cannot have back the property."

But an angry Brian Lewis, director of Cash Generators, told the Telegraph & Argus: "We always co-operate fully with any police investigation and, in Huddersfield, the police gave us written confirmation that if any suspicious goods are unwittingly purchased then we are to store them in the secure storage area until the police notify us if there is going to be a court case. At that time we always return goods to the police or court.

"No police officer has asked for these goods at all so we are stunned to be accused totally wrongly in this way.

"It is always our policy to ask for identification of every person selling to us and we take photographic evidence to prove who the seller was to avoid selling stolen goods."

The court heard Walker raided a house in Smith Lane, Huddersfield. He broke in through a window and was caught when he left a footprint at the scene.

Walker's barrister Martin Robertshaw said his client's offending was linked to his drugs addiction.

Walker was ordered to serve a community order with supervision for three years along with an 18 months drug rehabilitation order.