A WREXHAM man has been ordered to fork out more than £1,500 after shoplifting, attacking a doorman and dodging a taxi fare.
Dafydd Harper, of Walnut Street, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The 42-year-old had previously admitted assault by beating, making off without making payment and theft.
Prosecutor Suzanne Cartwright told the court that on April 18 last year, a taxi driver collected Harper for a journey to a pub, but en-route, he asked to be taken to A&E at Wrexham Maelor Hospital instead.
The fare due was £15, but Harper said he needed to go into the hospital and get money from his mum in order to pay.
The taxi driver waited for a while, but Harper didn’t reappear, so he went into the hospital to find him.
He found Harper, who claimed his mum was in triage and he was waiting for her.
But when the driver pressed him for payment, Harper told him: “I don’t know you. I haven’t had a taxi.”
Police were alerted and Harper was spoken to by officers.
He made excuses and ultimately didn’t pay the fare.
Then, in the early hours of May 18 last year, police were present at Abbot Street in the centre of Wrexham.
Jaroflaw Szomber, who works on the door at the Penny Black, reported to police that he’d been assaulted.
He told officers he’d been walking from the Karaoke Bar when he passed two males, one of whom was the defendant.
Harper “punched out” at Mr Szomber, his clenched fist connecting with his shoulder.
The complainant was not injured, but the defendant’s actions shocked and alarmed him, the court heard.
Mr Szomber told officers Harper was “often intoxicated and making a nuisance of himself at the Karaoke Bar and Penny Black.”
Not paying for his taxi and assaulting Mr Szomber were convictions after trial, Ms Cartwright told the court.
On October 5, 2024, the defendant entered B&M at Central Retail Park and took tags off a projector worth £69, and a ‘steaming stick’ worth £29.
He put them into his own carrier back and left the shop without making any payment.
This offence was admitted by Harper, but not until after a trial had been listed.
Stephen Edwards, defending, told the court his client was made the subject of an 18 month suspended sentence in January, for an offence committed in January 2024.
As such, the defendant had been out of trouble for some seven months.
He explained: “I know probation continue to work with this man.
“He has had some quite significant problems in the past and has had many challenges in his life.
“It doesn’t give him an excuse, but sadly his mum’s health is not the best.
“He doesn’t have any problems financially at the moment – he has the money to pay [to the taxi driver and B&M.]
Mr Edwards said while no injury was caused to Mr Szomber by his client’s actions, he conceded there had been “some distress” caused.
The Magistrates opted to deal with the defendant by way of fines.
For the assault, a fine of £761 was handed down, along with £50 compensation for Mr Szomber.
A £253 fine was imposed for making off without payment, as well as £15 compensation for the taxi driver.
And a further fine of £253 was issued for the shoplifting, in addition to £98 compensation for B&M.
Additionally, the defendant must pay £300 towards prosecution costs.
Source – The Leader