Cash stolen after wheelchair fall

Williams was sentenced at Prestatyn magistrates

A man has been jailed for three months for stealing from a disabled man who had fallen over in his wheelchair.

Simon Williams, 28, went to the aid of the man who suffered from muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease but stole his wallet with £310 inside.

Even though it happened in May 2004, Williams was arrested last month when he was a passenger in a car stopped for a roadside check near Abergele, Conwy.

The judge, sitting in Prestatyn, described it as a "shameful offence".

District judge Andrew Shaw said Williams' offence was "deeply shocking". The 28-year-old victim died in January 2006.

"He initially went to help the gentleman who had fallen from his wheelchair, saw the wallet on the ground, picked it up and made off Robert Vickery, defending

Williams of Cynlas, Kinmel Bay, had been identified previously for the theft and placed on the Police National Computer as being wanted.

He made full admissions, saying at the time he was heavily into drugs and the temptation on seeing the wallet was too much.

Williams said he was no longer using drugs and felt thoroughly ashamed.

Robert Vickery, defending, said as well as being ashamed he was remorseful.

"He initially went to help the gentleman who had fallen from his wheelchair, saw the wallet on the ground, picked it up and made off," he told the court.

"He's horribly embarrassed. At the time he was heavily into drugs. He'd suffered a tragic loss of a child which led to him using excessive amounts of drugs."

'Opportunistic'

Mr Vickery said Williams used the money to get to Manchester and had thrown a credit card from the wallet into the sea from the Foryd Bridge at Rhyl.

He had since obtained employment. "It's right to say he's turned his life around," Mr Vickery added.

"It was not pre-planned, it was opportunistic and he's hugely remorseful."

However Judge Andrew Shaw said it was a "deeply shocking, shameful offence" which must have had a traumatic effect on the victim.

The prosecution said Williams had three previous convictions, two for dishonesty.