FORMER lorry driver John Parkinson was ordered to carry out 100 hours of community service last week after he admitted stealing more than £6,000 worth of stationery supplies from his Westbury workplace and hoarding it at his Devizes home.

Parkinson, 30, of High Street, Worton, near Devizes, pilfered the goods, including copier paper and toner cartridges, over a two-year period and tried to sell them at car boot sales.

Parkinson's solicitor, Richard Stanbury, said he had been taking the goods as a way of paying himself for money he felt he was owed from the company.

His employers first started to get suspicious when a large amount of stock went missing. Soon after, a fellow employee told one of the bosses Parkinson had been stealing the goods.

When a second allegation was made to the same effect, the company informed the police and Parkinson's home was searched.

He was arrested and interviewed and admitted stealing £6,101 worth of stationery to combat money problems. Mr Stanbury said he had attempted to sell them at car boot sales but had not made very much money.

Rhys Davies, prosecuting at Chippenham Magistrates Court on Thursday, said: "He was able to quite easily take things out of boxes he was delivering and managed to skim off various items.

"He told police he had substantial debts of between £15,000 and £20,000, found it difficult to manage on his income of £940 a month."

Defending, Mr Stanbury said: "I think it is fair to say the reasons these offences took place were a combination of him not being able to manage his own finances and him being in a relatively low-paid job working very long hours. In a way he felt he was doing nothing more than paying himself the overtime he was entitled to."

When Parkinson stole the goods he breached a community service order imposed on him in June 2000, when he tried to steal £350 of goods from a Tesco store by walking out with the trolley.

Mr Stanbury now has a new job working as assistant manager at Devizes Light and Sounds.

Magistrates gave Parkinson an 18-month community punishment and rehabilitation order, which will include 100 hours of community service and an obligation to attend the Think First programme. He was also ordered to pay £118 towards court costs.

jbishop@newswilts.co.uk