AN ELLESMERE Port man who worked as maintenance engineer at the Essar Oil plant has been fined after admitting stealing diesel from a fuel container.
Ian Maudsley, 47, and of Coombe Park, Little Sutton, admitted theft by an employee at Chester Magistrates Court on Tuesday, November 10.
CPS prosecutor, Teri O’Brien, told the court that Maudsley had been observed leaving the site by a witness who suspected that he had been syphoning diesel for some time.
Maudsley’s on-site vehicle was then switched for one which was equipped with a tracker and a modified pipe was identified on the site where the defendant had taken the fuel from.
Footage also showed Maudsley unloading six containers filled with diesel from the back of his van at his home address.
When confronted, Ms O’Brien said that the defendant had given back around half of the £270 worth of fuel that was taken.
Howard Jones, defending, said that Maudsley had admitted his involvement at an early stage and had already lost his ‘well-paid employment’ at the fuel site.
Mr Jones added he had made ‘a very foolish decision’ motivated by his desire to fund a family trip to France in a campervan.
The defendant had added that his impulsive decision may have been due to his recent diagnosis for ADHD.
Mr Jones added that he disputed the prosecution’s submission about a ‘modified pipe’ saying that the tap was in place to save maintenance staff the walk to the top of the containers adding that the defendant had not fitted this himself, but that his role meant that he ‘knew it was already there’.
Chairman Brian Bennett said that Maudsley was likely to ‘spend time regretting your decision’ after the loss of his job.
He was issued with a fine of £1,000 and will pay a mandatory surcharge of £400 along with costs of £85.
Magistrates ultimately decided that he would pay compensation of £270, despite the defence’s assertion that the fuel was recovered.
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