A Monkton man has been handed a suspended jail sentence after admitting helping himself to over £1,000 worth of lottery scratch cards from the store he worked at.

Thirty-one-year-old Stuart McNiffe appeared at Swansea Crown Court last week for sentencing after previously admitting a charge of theft from the Londis store on Main Street in Pembroke when he appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court before Christmas.

Mr. McNiffe pleaded guilty to stealing scratch cards, lottery tickets, numerous food and drink items and cash from the till, from a period between May and October this year.

The court had heard that the defendant worked at the store for a short period and his employers became suspicious that he might be stealing from the premises, and when CCTV was checked, Mr. McNiffe was seen taking scratch cards.

If they were losers he would throw them in the bin, if they were winning cards, he would take the cash out of the till.

Judge Paul Thomas QC said at Crown Court that the defendant had breached the trust the shop owners had placed in him and was guilty of ‘blatant and persistent dishonesty’.

The court heard the total loss to the shop was some £1,165 which included £130 in voided sales as well as £15 in food and drink consumed.

When interviewed by police, Mr. McNiffe admitted taking the cards, stating that he did it mostly on quiet shifts when he was bored.

The court heard that the defendant had no previous convictions.

Mr. McNiffe was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay back the money he owed to the shop.

He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, an alcohol treatment course, and a rehabilitation programme.