Lorry driver jailed over theft

Paramjit Singh, 31, of Wednesfield, pleaded guilty to the theft from the Co-op distribution centre on the Prologis Park in Coventry.

But he had entered his plea on the basis that he had no idea of the goods he had been recruited to collect, or of their potential value - which was not accepted by the prosecution.

And following a trial of issue at Warwick Crown Court, Judge Richard Griffith-Jones said he did not believe Singh did not know what was being loaded into his trailer.

Singh, of Mattox Road, was jailed for 12 months after the judge rejected an argument that the sentence could be suspended.

Prosecutor Mr Justin Jarmola said the Co-op distribution centre at Prologis Park in Coventry received a call, supposedly from a supplier, saying there was an issue with a batch of Famous Grouse whisky.

Staff were told that, as a result, the supplier needed to take back 12 pallets of the whisky.

At 4.30pm that afternoon Singh arrived at the depot in his Renault articulated lorry which was loaded with 12 pallets of Famous Grouse worth a total of £161,000 after he had handed over false paperwork.

He left with the haul at just before 5pm – and the theft was not discovered until March 8 when the supplier was spoken to and said there had been nothing wrong with the whisky, and it had not taken the consignment back.

Mr Jarmola said it was clear the theft had been partly ‘an inside job,’ and three employees were suspended and interviewed, but no further action was taken against them.

Judge Griffith-Jones asked Singh: “You are asking me to believe that there were people who trusted you with so much stolen goods, and you don’t know who they are?”

Singh replied: “They offered me £500 to do this job, and I thought OK.”

Jailing Singh, Judge Griffith-Jones told him: “Only a custodial sentence can be justified. This case is one of very serious criminality, designed to steal goods of high value.

“I am prepared to accept that although you played a vital and significant part, I cannot be sure you were in over-all authority. I come to that conclusion because the role you played was one of the more risky roles in the enterprise.”