A DRUNK man who woke up with six car stereos stolen from vehicles from a Llandysul fruit and veg wholesaler had no recollection of how he got them and got rid of them right away, his solicitor has said.

Jamie Peter Langridge, of Room 2, 13 Corporation Street in Aberystwyth, was caught on CCTV “very clearly intoxicated” and “ambling” around the compound at the Thomas and Davies facility in the early hours of 2 January, before breaking into six vans and stealing the stereos.

Prosecutor Helen Tench said Langridge, who pleaded guilty to six charges of theft from a vehicle and one charge of vehicle interference on 2 January, was caught on CCTV footage at the facility for over three hours, when the footage was checked by police.

An assistant manager at the wholesaler had returned to work on 2 January after the business closed on New Year’s Eve and found that six vans had been broken into and had their stereos stolen.

The footage also showed Langridge had tried to open another truck by trying to open the door before smashing a window.

Defence solicitor Alan Lewis said 30-year-old Langridge, who has struggled with mental health and bereavement issues for years, had been drinking heavily over the Christmas period as well as taking medication, which meant he had no recollection of what had happened.

He said that Langridge had received “quite a shock” when he saw the CCTV footage which Mr Lewis said showed that Langridge was “very clearly intoxicated”.

When Langridge woke up and found the stereos, Mr Lewis said he had panicked and ended up getting rid of the stereos meaning he hadn’t profited from the theft.

Mr Lewis said since the incident Langridge had moved away from Llandysul and to Aberystwyth and had voluntarily referred himself to agencies to seek help.

Langridge wanted to apologise to the company and Mr Lewis said he was “very embarrassed and ashamed” of what had happened.

He was made subject to a 12-month community order with a four-month curfew between 7pm and 7am. Langridge will also have to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

He will also pay compensation of £500 and costs totalling £125.