Teenage jockey walks free from court over Lackham theft (From This Is Wiltshire)

Teenage jockey walks free from court over Lackham theft

3:09pm Thursday 9th July 2009 in

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A promising teenage jockey walked free from court despite admitting to a fraud charge totalling £2,000 because of his fledgling career.

Michael Burge, 18, originally from Somerset, pleading guilty to stealing a cheque book and making out cheques to himself for £2,050 on Thursday at the North West Wiltshire Magistrates Court.

He had stolen five cheques from the son of the owner of a bed and breakfast he was staying at in Lacock last December and had paid three of them into his account in Chippenham.

The court heard how Burge had fallen out with his father and moved to Lacock to start a course at Lackham College but committed the offence after running out of his money.

Defending Nigel Yeo said: “My client was in dire financial straits.

“He came into the house and saw the cheque book on the floor. He initially put it on a table but a few minutes later he made a decision he will regret for the rest of his life.

“This was opportunistic and was bound to be traced back to him - it is hard to think of a less sophisticated offence.

“Clearly at that time he was not thinking rationally.

“He then buried his head in the sand and used the money to buy food and fix his car so he could go to job interviews - he did not fritter away the money on beer and nightclubs.

“He is genuinely sorry for what he did and knows this is not a trifle sum.”

Burge had forged the signature of the man he had stolen the cheque book from and had paid the cheques straight into his account.

It was only after the victim checked his balance and saw he was more than £2,000 overdrawn that he contacted his bank.

Mr Yeo said that Burge was a promising young horse rider and had been accepted onto a jockey course in Newmarket and did not want any punishment to affect that.

Presiding magistrate Priscilla Grey said: “This was an unsophisticated and opportunistic crime.

“There were family problems at home and you made a full and frank admission to the police and accept that you have to repay this money to the bank.

“You have a place at this riding school and this will affect your future employment.”

Mrs Grey imposed a 40-hour unpaid community service punishment, told Burge to pay back the £2,050 at £40-a-week and ordered him to pay £60 in costs.