Wayne Meredith of Northwich, Cheshire, has been charged with two counts of burglary other than a dwelling with intent to steal, with both instances of crime involving local pubs and fruit machines located within each establishment’s premises. Cheshire authorities apprehended Meredith on September 29th, and on November 24th, he appeared in Chester Crown Court and received a sentence of 28 months in prison.
Matt Uren, Police Constable of the Northwich Proactive Policing Unit, issued a statement following the hearing, referring to Meredith as a “prolific offender” and claiming that he welcomed the convict’s sentencing. Uren continued, explaining that Meredith’s transgressions and other such crimes caused significant financial harm to businesses despite how many would think otherwise. He went on to say that he hoped that the case’s outcome would serve to reassure Cheshire-based businesses that local authorities are prepared and determined to crack down on business-related crime.
Two Local Businesses Were Impacted by Meridith’s Wrongdoings
The case involved two instances of burglary committed by Meredith, the first of which was reported to local police on September 20th when the individual broke into Weavers Whistle, an establishment located on Wells Avenue. About a week later, Meredith was once again reported following his breaking and entering into Northwich’s Clock Tower pub. Both buildings were damaged as a result. Moreover, the fruit machines belonging to each business were also vandalised, as they were Meredith’s main targets, and they sustained damages amounting to around £2,000.
Cheshire authorities were successful in catching Meredith thanks to recovered CCTV footage, in which he was shown in a green parker-style jacket. This allowed authorities to identify him as a suspect. Officers had previously apprehended Meredith for crimes not related to these burglaries, and he had worn the same article of clothing in those cases as well. What followed was Meredith’s arrest on September 29th, which took place in his home and allowed police to recover the parker-style jacket, among other pieces of evidence.
Cheshire’s Pubs Are Among The Latest Targets of Gambling-Related Crime
Casinos and other types of establishments that offer gambling as a form of entertainment have long been the target of criminals in the UK. This year alone saw several such court cases besides the one in Cheshire. In March, Nottingham authorities arrested Robin Simandi-Curtis following an armed robbery of Maid Marian Way’s Grosvenor Casino. The convict is now serving a five-year and four-month sentence.
March also saw a man named Hassan Fallah plead guilty to having committed an armed robbery in Edinburgh. Fallah admitted to threatening members of the Genting Casino Fountain Park staff with a knife, and stealing £48,000 in cash and casino chips from the casino before fleeing the scene. The casino’s staff members served as witnesses and assisted Edinburgh police in identifying Fallah. Officers also found his plans to commit the act, which were written on a pizza box, and Fallah was ultimately sentenced to four years and nine months in prison.
- Author
Daniel Williams
