Worksop boozer was egged on by pals to steal sound system

Luke Butters had been boozing outside Bircotes Sports Centre, on May 8, last year, when he accepted the challenge.

“He left by a fire exit and hid the music centre in a bush,” said Donna Fawcett, prosecuting. “

He took it to his mum’s. He says it may have been used in a party but he can’t be sure.”

The court heard he received a suspended prison sentence in October, 2018, for assault.

Michael Little, mitigating, said at the time, Butters had been mourning the death of his grandfather, and was involved in a “toxic relationship”.

He said Butters had started drinking heavily with his father on a daily basis, and had been “heavily under the influence” at the time of the theft.

“He says “what I should have done is say no, but unfortunately, because I was drunk, I took a really bad decision,”” said Mr Little.

Butters, 23, of Netherton Road, admitted the theft when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Wednesday.

District judge Jonathan Taaffe gave him a two year conditional discharge, because “it has taken a ridiculously amount of time for this matter to come to court.”

“Being drunk is no excuse for thieving,” he told Butters, and ordered him to pay £85 costs, and a £30 government surcharge.