A DISGRUNTLED delivery driver sacked from a Stonehouse company stole £17,000 of diesel from the firm after a heroin dealer burst into his home with a firearm demanding the repayment of a £5,000 drugs debt, a court was told.
Ashley Markey, 35, of Park Road, Gloucester, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on Thursday.
After Markey was dismissed from Custom Made, which specialises in windows and conservatories, the reformed heroin addict kept three fuel cards which he was given as part of his job as a driver, the court heard.
In just 20 days in February he made 68 visits to petrol stations where he filled jerry cans with diesel. He stowed the cans in the boot of various hired cars, drove to unknown locations and sold the diesel to unknown buyers.
In all he stole £17,222.90 of diesel from Shell and BP garages. Markey pleaded guilty to four offences of fraud, one of making off without payment and one of theft.
He has 18 previous convictions for 43 various offences.
He received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid work. He was also given 18 months’ supervision and a two-month curfew from 10pm until 7am.