A VULNERABLE man had his bicycle stolen after he went into a shop to buy a drink.

Jamie Plowright had been out for a bike ride with carer when the pair decided to stop at the Premier Store in Plas Madoc to get a drink. Mr Plowright went into the store while his carer stayed outside looking after the bikes, but after hearing a shout and briefly turning away, a man took the bike, said to be worth £1,000, and rode off.

The hot wheeled thief was 37-year-old David Zachary Roberts, who was pursued by the carer on his own bike, was soon seen placing the bike into the boot of a car, with an unknown male making threats to the carer, which caused him to “back off”.

Ceri Ellis-Jones, prosecuting at Mold Magistrates Court, said how Roberts had initially denied the theft and the matter was due for trial, until he changed his plea to guilty.

The theft had took place on April 17 last year, when Mr Plowright and his carer had been going about their daily routine, with Roberts described as being “opportunistic”.

Emma Simoes, defending, told the court that it wasn’t acceptable that her client hadn’t been summoned for the offence until December and that Roberts had already been in custody since the theft took place.

Ms Simoes also said that despite claims of the bike being worth £1,000, she had not been able to find any evidence that backed up such a high value.

Roberts, who is already subject to a community order for previous offences, was engaging with probation according to Ms Simoes, with her adding how he is currently seeing them four days a week.

Ms Simoes added: “He was in a difficult place back in April.

“He was drinking heavily and he was dabbling with drugs.

“It would be a shame if this sentence took him backwards.”

Roberts was fined £100, was ordered to pay £500 compensation to the victim and must pay court costs of £200.

There was to be no victim surcharge and the community order was allowed to continue.