GLASS collector Gareth Pritchard succumbed to temptation and stole his workmates' £8,000 wages for the week, a court heard.

And, after the box of stolen cash was kicked around Swindon town centre, it was found by a cleaner and the full amount was handed in to police, Swindon Crown Court was told.

Pritchard, 23, of Luddesdown Road, Toothill, admitted carrying out the theft on October 22, from the safe at Bar Me, in Fleet Street, Swindon.

Jailing him for six months Judge John McNaught told him: "It is a very stupid thing you did."

Swindon Crown Court heard that Pritchard cleaned and collected glasses at Bar Me and was given keys to the premises.

Prosecuting, Rob Welling said: "Mr Pritchard was entrusted with the combination to the safe and he knew that on the Monday, in that safe, would be the workers' wages."

Mr Welling said police called in to investigate a burglary found the manager's office door kicked in but no signs of a forced entry to the pub.

"They concluded that this was an inside job and the only person who could have committed it was Gareth Pritchard," said Mr Welling.

The court heard that when police found Pritchard they spotted he had a herringbone pattern on his shoes which matched a pattern on the damaged door to the manager's office.

When he was arrested Pritchard made a full and frank admission, saying that he had stolen the money, hidden it in a bush near Fleming Way post office and later returned to Bar Me in order to damage the back door and made it look as if there had been a burglary. The plan had gone wrong and he was arrested.

Mr Welling added that cleaner Erin Bardwell found the £8,000 cash in a box behind a pillar in the John Street car park and handed it to police.

Defending, Philip Warren said the motive to the crime seemed "unfathomable".

Mr Warren said this was not subject to any of the usual reasons such as drugs, gambling, drink, or being leaned upon by criminals to repay money.

Mr Warren said the execution of the theft was "highly imperfect" and was always apparent that it was an inside job.

He said a possible motivation for the crime was that Pritchard had wanted to make a new start in life.

The judge added that the cleaner who found and returned the money should be commended.