An employee at a Bedfordshire meat company who stole meat worth thousands of pounds escaped going to prison on Monday, June 27, 2022.
Instead, Piotr Selonke from Poland, was given a suspended sentence and told he must pay £2,400 to his former employers, York House Meat Company in Potton.
At Luton Crown Court the 36-year-old pleaded guilty to two offences of theft of meat dating back to 2018.
Recorder Ross Johnson, hearing the case, heard that Selonke, who had worked at the company between September 11 and November 2, of that year, arranged for a man to drive to the plant where, on a number of occasions, “good quality meat” was then loaded into his van.
The court was told that on November 1, 2018, the driver was stopped with £6000 worth of meat and Selonke was arrested soon afterwards.
The van driver had attended the plant on eight occasions between September and the beginning of November.
Although meat had not been transported away from the plant on every visit, the court was told, on at least four occasions it had been.
Recorder Johnson said it was likely the total value of the meat taken could have been in the region of £20,000 to £24,000.
Selonke, of Lime Tree Corner, Cranfield, lost his job at the plant as a consequence of his thieving.
The court was told that since then he has obtained another job and is supporting his family and 12-year-old daughter back in Poland who is receiving kidney treatment.
Passing sentence Recorder Johnson said the £6000 worth of meat recovered on November 1, 2018 had been of good quality and it meant it was able to be sold on behalf of the company.
He said: “There was a breach of trust as you were involved at the plant. You played a significant role in group activity.”
The recorder said it was clear planning had gone into the thefts.
But after hearing that Selonke had shown genuine remorse for what he’d done, the recorder said he was prepared to pass a suspended sentence.
He sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment which was suspended for 12 months and ordered that he carry out 120 hours unpaid work
In addition, the defendant was told he would have to pay compensation of £2,400 to his former employers.
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