Wembley man jailed for trying to steel £100K camera gear

A pot-smoking criminal who used fake documents to try to steal £100,000 worth of camera equipment from a hire company has been jailed for a year.

Mark Walters, 42, gave staff at the Soho hire shop a fake driving licence, before trying to make off with the expensive items.

But the manager became suspicious of his behaviour and immediately called the police, Southwark Crown Court heard last week.

On his arrest Walters gave a bogus name, but officers discovered his real identity after searching his pockets.

The born-again Christian claimed he had gone to collect the camera on behalf of an underworld figure, who was going to pay him £200 for his trouble.

Walters' home in North Church, Wembley, was later searched by police, who discovered he had converted his attic into a mini cannabis factory and was growing a small crop of marijuana plants.

A total of 20 plants were found to be growing in Walters' attic, but he told police he grew the drug for himself and did not sell it on to others.

Passing sentence, Judge Stephen Robbins told the defendant: "In so far as the fraud indictment is concerned, that was an elaborate scheme involving £100,000 worth of equipment.

"You played an essential, albeit minor, role as a courier."

Walters admitted one count of fraud and one of being concerned in the production of cannabis.