SEAN O’Dowd knowingly bought stolen plant pots and hanging baskets from a stranger in a Stroud park, a court was told.

O’Dowd, aged 29, of Bath Road, Stonehouse, denied the offence but was found guilty of receiving stolen goods when he appeared at Stroud Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, January 5.

Prosecutor Elisabeth Thomas described how police officers seized the items from his home on May 25 while searching the premises in relation to a separate matter.

The rightful owner of the goods, Paul Amos, who gave evidence at the trial, later recognised the items as his own and picked O’Dowd from an online identity parade as one of three men who called at his home on May 5, asking if he wanted any gardening work done.

Mr Amos declined the offer but reported the items stolen from his front garden around 10am the following morning, May 6.

O’Dowd was not charged with theft, claiming he had never seen the items before purchasing them for £20 from a man he was approached by in Stroud, who delivered them to his house.

However, Mrs Thomas highlighted discrepancies in the two interviews O’Dowd had with police, in which he gives mixed accounts of the amount he paid and refers to the man he bought them from by two different names.

She also handed magistrates a list of prior convictions O’Dowd has for similar offences dating back to 2000.

Defending himself, O’Dowd repeatedly denied knowing the items were stolen.

He also defended his inaccurate accounts during police interviews, claiming he felt under pressure.

"Maybe I was being stupid but I honestly did not know they were stolen," he said.

Finding O’Dowd guilty, the magistrates cited his conflicting interview accounts and lack of ‘credible evidence’ as deciding factors but said they were not influenced by his previous convictions.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge.