Cash Converters footage caught Wakefield criminals flogging stolen equipment

Christos Hepworth was one of three people seen on the footage selling the 50” television and a mobile phone after they had been reported stolen in September 2022.

He appeared at Leeds Crown Court recently, but his co-accused defendants failed to appear. It was heard that they initially turned up but left the building before the case was called on. A warrant was put out for their arrest.

Continuing in their absence, the court heard that the two co-accused had met the victim in the early hour of September 20, 2022, after he had been drinking all day in Wakefield city centre. He invited them back to his home to continue drinking. Later on, they drove the man’s van to their home with the man joining them.

They later picked up Hepworth, but at around 9am the victim was pushed out his own van and told it would later be returned to him. He walked home but when he got there he found the TV, his phone and his bank card were missing, so called the police.

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But around an hour later Hepworth and the others were in Cash Convertors in Wakefield city centre, selling the TV for £300 and the phone for £170.

Hepworth, of Manygates Crescent, Wakefield, told police during his interview and said he was simply asked to sell the items by one of the co-accused. Initially charged with burglary, it was later reduced to handling stolen goods and taking a vehicle without consent, to which 36-year-old Hepworth pleaded guilty.

However, Judge Richard Mansell KC labelled the stolen goods charge for all three as a “bit of a fudge” and questioned who in fact stole the items in the first place if the defendants had not been responsible. The van was also never returned to the owner.

Hepworth has 23 previous convictions for 38 offences, including affray, burglary, vehicle taking and received an 18-month jail sentence in 2008 for robbery. No mitigation for the father-of-four was offered after Judge Mansell said he would not lock him up.

He told him: “You have a long record principally for offences of dishonesty, but to your credit you managed to stay out of trouble for 11 years. You could not complain if I sent you to prison.” Instead, he gave him a 12-month community order and 15 rehabilitation days.