TAXI driver John Wolf who pocketed hundreds of pounds from his boss's takings has walked free from court.

John Wolf came up with spurious stories after pinching the money over a weekend in January, a court heard.

Kate Brown, prosecuting, said the 25-year-old worked for taxi driver Malcolm Coomber in one of his cabs.

She said: "On January 10 this year the defendant contacted the victim and informed him that £70 of his takings had been taken from him as a result of a blackmail incident in Corsham.

"Mr Coomber was unhappy about it and went to have it reported to the police. The defendant said he would repay the money so he continued employing him. The following day again the arrangement was for the takings to be given to the injured party.

"He got some with a cheque which he said had been given to him by a customer. That was cashed and subsequently referred to drawer."

Miss Brown said the same thing happened two days later on January 13 and Wolf was finally questioned by police.

She said: "In relation to the allegations he denied that he had ever been given any cheques on either occasion.

"He denied it saying he had memory loss and blackouts and had difficulty remembering."

She said that there was also evidence from a taxi customer who said that Wolf had admitted stealing the money relating to the blackmail allegation.

At the time of the offences Wolf was on a conditional discharge imposed by magistrates in October for deception.

Those matters dated from last summer when he obtained Chinese meals and mobile phones worth hundreds by falsely representing to be someone else.

Wolf, formerly of Bradford Road, Corsham, but now of Partis College, Bath, pleaded guilty to the thefts totalling £205.60.

Claire Harden, defending, produced a cheque drawn on a solicitor's account for the amount lost saying Wolf had paid them the money so the cheque would not bounce.

She said: "He has always said he wished to recompense Mr Coomber and now he has. He gave a guilty plea and he accepts that all the offences were aggravated by a breach of trust."

She said he hoped to attend the City of Bath College in September to start on an HND course. He was also receiving counselling in the city.

After reading a pre-sentence report Judge Tom Longbotham sentenced him to 140 hours' community service.