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Allotment thief is sentenced
A MAN who committed a spate of break-ins at allotments across East Yorkshire last summer has been ordered to complete unpaid work.
Mark Richard Ferriby, of Colescliffe Road, Scarborough said he was “keen to give something back” after being given a 12 month community order with 120 hours unpaid work at a hearing at Bridlington Magistrates Court.
Ferriby, 48, had broken into six sheds at allotments in Bridlington, Driffield, and Pocklington between June and August last year.
At an earlier hearing Ferriby had pleaded guilty to five charges of burglary, which included the theft of gardening tools and equipment. He admitted burgling sheds on allotments in Bridlington; one at Bessingby Road between June 5 and 7 and one at Mill Lane between June 23 and 26, as well as one shed at Driffield’s allotments at Spellowgate, between May 31 and June 3 2011.
Ferriby also admitted to stealing from sheds at allotments on the Mile, Pocklington, the first between July 15 and 18 and then two more between August 3 and 6 last year.
Prosecutor Victoria Mills told magistrates that police had spoken to Ferriby in connection with the thefts, with gardening equipment found at his home identified as stolen and returned.
Mitigating, John Evans told the court that Ferriby had shown considerable remorse and was keen to go along with a probation service pre-sentence report recommending unpaid work.
“He has recently been contacted by his former employer, who can offer him work again in the spring. He is fit to work, and he could be seen doing people’s allotments for them as part of his unpaid work.”
Presiding magistrate Mike Bowman told Ferriby: “This is not a soft option. Make sure you cooperate fully with this order otherwise you’ll end up back in court.”
Ferriby was also ordered to pay £85 court costs.
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Weather for Driffield
Thursday 17 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
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