A market trader who took the pith by raiding huge

A market trader who took the pith by raiding huge amounts of fruit from neighbouring greengrocers was spared jail today.

(Fri)

Matthew Watson, 35, was caught in an elaborate sting after a suspicious amount of oranges, lemons, apples, avocados, mangetout, garlic and limes from warehouses at London’s New Covent Garden vegetable market.

Watson’s fruitful 18-month scam was uncovered after neighbouring stall P&I Fruits became suspicious over their vanishing veg and set up a CCTV camera inside their shop.

Watson was caught on film helping himself to boxes of their fruit.

Further investigation revealed Watson had also been ransacking Roger Thomas Fruit, nearby as well.

The companies said they had lost pnd stlg 30,000 worth of fruit, but the lack of records as to the losses meant the Crown accepted a reduced loss of pnd stlg 3,000.

Watson operated the scam by arriving at work a couple of hours ahead of his normal morning start time.

Using keys he had cut he took a trolley into the warehouses and helped himself to pallets of fruit and veg, the court heard.

He would then sell the fruit from his employers R Tealing Ltd, before the firm opened for business – and pocketed the cash.

Watson, a father of four children is now living on benefits.

He was told by Judge Timothy Pontius: ‘What you did was a gross breach of trust, the trust that employees will behave honestly.

‘

But the judge said because of the amount stolen was now pnds stlg 3,000, reduced from 30,000 it meant there could be an alternative to custody.

‘I imagine you now realise the seriousness of what you did.

‘

The judge sentenced Watson of Coulsdon Road, Coulsdon, Surrey, to 100 hours community punishment and probation for 12 months.

He had admitted two counts of burgling P&I Fruits and one count against Roger Thomas Fruits.

He asked for 25 other offences to be taken into consideration.

ends