Stolen garden heater 'was melting window' (From South Wales Guardian)

Stolen garden heater 'was melting window'

6:10am Friday 13th April 2012 in News

A 63-YEAR-old former Llandeilo man with more than 52 years of criminal convictions to his name has been ordered to pay £175 after he admitted stealing a garden ornament to heat his then girlfriend’s flat.

Gordon Langford, who gave his address as Marchogwlyn Fawr in Llanfynydd, pleaded guilty to stealing a cast iron chiminea from a sheltered housing complex at Maes Elfryn in Llandeilo some time between February 3 and February 5. A chiminea is a traditional freestanding oven with a bulbous lower body and vertical chimney often used as a garden ornament or heater.

Gerald Neave, prosecuting, told magistrates that police were called to a flat at 3 Bro Hywel on February 6 after neighbours became concerned at the sight of “a home-made chimney sticking out of the window of the flat”.

“People were concerned because the heat from the chimney was melting the plastic window frames,” said Mr Neave. “In the living room of the flat was a cast iron stove identical to the one stolen from outside the warden’s property at Maes Elfryn.”

Langford contacted police two days later to admit he had stolen the chiminea but declined to answer any further questions.

Mike Reed, defending, told magistrates they faced “a strange sort of case”. He described howLangford’s then girlfriend, Hayley Thomas, was initially charged with the theft before Langford came forward.

Magistrates were told how Langford had a long history of crime with his first conviction taking place in 1960.

The couple have since separated and the county council has begun eviction proc e e d i n g s a g a i n s t T h o m a s .

Magistrates f i n e d Langford £75 and ordered he pay £85 court costs and a £15 legal surcharge.