West Cumbrian father cleared of stealing ‘on loan’ shopping trolley
Last updated at 20:26, Thursday, 22 March 2012
A father-of-three from Workington has been cleared of stealing an Asda shopping trolley after telling magistrates that it was only on loan.
Unemployed Ryan Langcake, 21, explained to West Cumbria Magistrates Court that it was a toss up between buying nappies, wipes and food for son Ryan Jordan and taking the trolley or forcing his one-year-old to go without and paying for a taxi home.
Mr Langcake, who lives less than a mile from the Dunmail Park superstore, was acquitted of theft on Monday.
He said: “I did what any good father would do.
My baby needed these things so I bought them.
“I couldn’t afford the shopping and the taxi, so I borrowed the trolley.”
Mr Langcake, who has never passed his driving test, was arrested on January 6 after police raided the Far Moss home which he shares with fiancee Stacey Jefferson, 21, in search of stolen metal.
Stumbling across the trolley, they arrested the former Stainburn School pupil.
The trolley had been at his home for three days.
Brockbanks solicitors, representing Mr Langcake, wrote to the Crown Prosecution Service citing public cost as a reason to quash the case.
It cost the taxpyaer £377 to take the case to court.
Linda Vance, district crown prosecutor, said: “We made a decision there was sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.
“We took the view it was in the public interest to proceed to trial so that a magistrate could assess the evidence and reach a verdict.”
Mr Langcake added: “I am not a thief. I’m just a man who wanted to provide for my child, but I couldn’t afford the taxi too.”
First published at 19:24, Thursday, 22 March 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk
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