A BURGLAR who was caught with a machete in a Herefordshire village has been handed a suspended sentence after admitting 14 offences.

Christian Llewellyn appeared before magistrates in Hereford for sentencing in January after admitting 14 offences at an earlier hearing.

The court heard from prosecutor Paul Johns that the 42-year-old had burgled Leominster Salvage in North Road on January 14, 2021, entering as a trespasser and stealing tools including a leaf blower, a disc cutter, electric cable, ear defenders, and a mitre cutter, and had attempted to steal garden equipment belonging to another person in Leominster on the same date.

He had also been caught driving a Mazda on the A44 in Pembridge without due care and attention and without a licence on October 26, 2021.

He had also been found to be in possession of a knife or sharply pointed item, namely a machete, in Pembridge, and resisted police officers in Hereford on October 26, 2021.

He had further driven a Landrover Freelander in Hereford's Commercial Road without a licence on October 29, 2021.

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The court also heard that Llewellyn had stolen a fire extinguisher worth £700 on January 6, food items on March 3, and meat products on March 20 and on March 31, 2022, all from Co-op in Hereford, alcohol, underwear, and electrical items worth £250 from Tesco in Hereford, and shoes and fragrance from TK Maxx in Hereford on July 2, 2022.

Magistrates said as the offences were so serious and due to Llewellyn's repeated offending, only a custodial sentence could be justified, handing him a total of eight months in prison, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to complete a 12-month drug rehabilitation programme and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Llewellyn, of Moor Street, Hereford, was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £135 and a £156 victim surcharge, compensation of £200 to TK Maxx, £1,000 to Co-op, and £180 to Tesco.

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