A DAD-of-six hid a stolen rental car in a Buckley garage and stripped it of its engine, a court heard.

James Humphreys, 38 and of Doe Close in Cardiff, appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday.

He had preciously admitted four offences including handling stolen goods, theft of a vehicle and two counts of fraud - which occurred in 2019.

Simon Mintz, prosecuting, told the court at that time Humphreys had been a self employed driver for a firm called Bright Logistics.

He was a “master subcontractor” and employed a team of drivers.

Mr Mintz said drivers directly employed by Bright Logistics had the right to use Shell fuel cards - but this was not the case for Humphreys.

In June, the firm noticed suspicious use of a card belonging to an employee a number of months after he had stopped working for them.

It had been left in an unlocked office drawer, yet records showed it had been misused 67 times to purchase fuel at a value totalling more than £5,000.

A representative of the company investigated CCTV footage at the garage where the card had been used and identified Humphreys.

The company owed him around £5,000 - but suspended payment to him after the discovery.

That led him to blockade the firm’s warehouse with his van on two occasions.

On the second of these, in July, the police were called and he was arrested.

Inside the van, officers found an engine which had been removed from a hire car he had stolen.

Mr Mintz said the vehicle had been hired from Bay View garage in Mold in April and was due to be returned in June.

But he didn’t return it, despite a series of communications from the garage.

Instead, he got in touch and told the garage he would provide the address for its location because the tracking system had been removed, making it impossible to trace.

At the beginning of July, the vehicle was found covered by a tarpaulin - without an engine - in a lock-up in Buckley.

The vehicle was valued at more than £13,000.

Paulinus Barnes, defending, said his client could repay any compensation order made by the court at a rate of £100 a month.

Judge Nicola Jones told Humphreys: “You got your hands on a fuel card whilst operating as a self employed driver.

“You used it and allowed your drivers to use it. You had no right to use that card.”

“The custody threshold has been crossed, but you have six children and a wife, all of whom are financially reliant on you.

“You went to Cardiff to start a new life and rehabilitate yourself.

“You’ve done that, to your credit, and you’ve addressed your alcohol problems and sought help for your underlying mental disorder.

“I am pleased you have turned your life around. You have your priorities right at last.”

The Judge handed Humphreys a 21 month custodial sentence for the theft, but suspended it for 24 months.

He also received ten months concurrent on each of the fraud offences and no separate penalty for handling stolen goods.

Humphreys must undertake 35 sessions on an accredited programme and 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement, as well as paying a victim surcharge of £140.

Judge Jones also made a compensation order of £7,400.