A MAN from Wrexham has been told he would have been jailed for a fuel card fraud but for a four year delay in bringing him to court.

Judge Rhys Rowlands, sitting at Mold Crown Court, told Jack Kenneth Pritchard that he had changed his life since he committed the offences back in 2014.

He said the delays by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service in what was a straightforward case meant that he was sentencing the case for what had occurred four years ago, Pritchard, 25, of Hoel y Ffynnon, Bradley, admitted fraud involving diesel valued at almost £12,000 against his then employer Enviroclear Services Ltd and attempting to pervert the course of justice after he falsely blamed his manager for what had gone on.

Pritchard received an 11 month prison sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, with compensation of £7,200.

Nathan Michael Butcher, 25, of West View, New Road, Garden Village, Wrexham, admitted handling a quantity of stolen diesel, as did Stephen Leigh Elson, 28, of Beech Tree Avenue in Llay.

Both received community orders, with Butcher told to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and Elson made the subject of a six week curfew to remain indoors between 9pm and 6am.

A warrant was issues for the arrest of a fourth man, Robert Adam Williams, 34, of Cae Gwilym Lane in Cefn Mawr, Wrexham, after he failed to turn up for sentence on a change of handing a quantity of stolen diesel.

The judge said Pritchard had been guilty of a breach of trust in that he had used a company fuel card to buy diesel which he sold in drums to others.

He then told a “wicked lie” that a manager had encouraged him to do so but it soon became clear to the police that he was not involved.

Anna Pope, prosecuting, said an investigation was set up after the company became aware that large amounts of fuel were being purchased on Pritchard’s card.

CCTV was viewed and he could be seen attending garages with others and buying fuel not for the company vehicle but which was placed in drums which he sold on to others.

His employment was then terminated.