Wednesday, January 03, 2018

Delivery driver who stole children's toys to sell on his market stall avoids jail after telling judge he was 'very scared' of prison

  • Usman Humaydun pocketed unsold stock he should have returned to his bosses
  • Stock takes by his Manchester firm revealed large amounts of toys were missing
  • Customer tipped the firm off its merchandise was being sold from a market stall
  • Humaydun, of Blackley, Manchester, given an eight-month suspended sentence
Usman Humaydun is pictured leaving Manchester Crown Court after avoiding a custodial sentence
Usman Humaydun is pictured leaving Manchester Crown Court after avoiding a custodial sentence
A delivery driver who stole £62,000 worth of children's toys so he could sell them on the black market has avoided jail after telling a court he was 'very scared' of prison.
Usman Humaydun, 33, pocketed unsold stock he should have returned to his bosses over a two-year period, before selling them from a market stall on Sundays.
Police investigated after Manchester-based Spot Promotions Limited carried out stock takes which revealed large amounts of stock was missing.
A customer later tipped the firm off that its merchandise was being sold from Humaydun's stall.
It emerged he kept two large storage containers in a warehouse in Failsworth to store the stolen toys and gadgets. 
Manchester Crown Court heard how the married father-of-one had previous convictions for selling counterfeit designer clothing and burglary.
In a statement to police, Spot Promotions boss Asiffa Gadatra said she was 'completely shocked' by the thefts.
She added that she had been left 'distressed that somebody she trusted, somebody she believed to be working hard, was in fact abusing his position in the company.' 
The firm, for whom Humaydun had been employed with for 10 years, lost a total of £23,000 due to his campaign of fraud.
At Manchester Crown Court, Humaydun, from Blackley, Manchester, admitted theft but was given eight months jail suspended for a year.

He claimed he stole the toys as he had credit card debts of up to £10,000 and is currently out of work and claiming state handouts.

The court heard he was one of three drivers who would deliver gadgets to petrol stations around the country.

At Manchester Crown Court, Humaydun, from Blackley, Manchester, admitted theft but was given eight months jail suspended for a yearThe firm, for whom Humaydun had been employed with for 10 years, lost a total of £23,000 due to his campaign of fraud
At Manchester Crown Court, Humaydun (pictured) admitted theft but was given eight months jail suspended for a year

He would also pick up items which failed to sell or were damaged and was expected to return them to the factory for a stock check.

Prosecutor Brian Berlyne said: 'When he was arrested he accepted that he had been doing this for a two year period and brought them to a storage facility in Failsworth. 

'The total value of these products was £17,927 according to manager Asyfer Gadafra. This equated to a retail value of £62,232 and the company received a loss of £23,371.

'If he hadn't have been found out, he would have continued doing this. This is a high breach of trust.'

Simon Blakeborough, mitigating, told the court: 'He explained to me that his wages were reduced and his hours were increased.

'He made around £220 to £230 per week. He carried some resentment about this.He began to take very small items of stock.

'He would then sell this on Sundays, his only day off as he worked six days a week. He would sell them at his market stall and made around £5,000 a year.

'He would have carried on and continued. The stock the police received was still sellable. Nothing was damaged, it was all in good condition.'

Mr Blakeborough added: 'He has a family, who all support him but are disappointed in his behaviour. He is married and has a one year old child.

'The money he made he was attempting to use to pay off his debts. He was in £10,00 debt with his credit cards and personal loans.

'He would also use the money to help out with family weddings and his partner's sick father.
'This offending wasn't extreme, and he wasn't using the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

'When he was arrested with this offence, he complied straight away, and gave the officers the keys to the storage containers and he made full and frank admissions in interview.

'He is determined to stay out of trouble. He is very scared there could be a prison sentence.'
Humaydun was also ordered to complete 120 hours unpaid work.

No comments: