Drunken wedding party guest stole £1,100 antiques from hotel (From Free Press Series)

Drunken wedding party guest stole £1,100 antiques from hotel

A WEDDING party guest's drunken high jinx resulted in a £600 fine after he walked out of a hotel with £1,100 worth of stolen antiques wrapped up in a tablecloth.

Magistrates at Abergavenny heard that 28-year-old Timothy John Lane, of Afon Close, New Inn, Pontypool, had attended a wedding party at the Three Salmons Hotel in Usk, on May 2 and had been drinking heavily before trying to leave the hotel with the antiques.

The court heard that the hotel manager spotted Lane leaving the Apprentice Room with a table cloth bundled in his arms.

Lane admitted the theft of items from the hotel including four antique pictures, candlesticks and an oak-framed mirror.

The mirror remains missing and the court heard that Lane has written a letter to the hotel, offering to make reimbursements for the mirror.

Lane's solicitor told magistrates: "He said he doesn't remember anything about the party, but has certainly not enjoyed the consequences."

Lane was ordered to pay a fine of £200 and was ordered to pay £400 in compensation to the hotel at a rate of £150 per month.

Magistrates told Lane: "This has besmirched your previous good character and will stay on record for five years."

He added: "I have to say that although we have some sympathy with you, the amount of money involved was a large amount. It was more of a silly prank but there are serious consequences."