IPhone thief forced to hand it over by doorman
A MAN caught with a stolen iPhone was forced by a bouncer to hand it over.
The £800 device was snatched as its owner enjoyed drinks at The Parish pub in Huddersfield town centre.
But it was returned after the doorman at another nightspot intervened and held on to the man responsible.
Michael Siswick, 24, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods when he appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.
Prosecutor Alex Bozman said that the theft happened at the Kirkgate pub in the early hours of December 14.
The victim had left the iPhone X in his bag while he was sitting on a sofa and one of his friends noticed Siswick and another male acting suspiciously.
He checked his bag and discovered that it had been taken, magistrates at the Huddersfield were told.
The victim and his friend went outside and challenged two men, one a black male who has never been identified. He emptied his pockets to show that he was not responsible for the theft but Siswick was not co-operative.
Mr Bozman said: “They left The Parish and were followed by the male owner and his friend.
“The men were prevented from entering Revolution, staff were made aware of what had happened and police were called.
“The other male ran away and Mr Siswick was held by one of the bouncers. At that point he returned the iPhone which he had in his trousers.”
Magistrates were told that the victim’s ordeal had left him feeling shaken.
Mr Bozman said: “He said that the incident has left him feeling anxious about going out and having drinks because he’s in fear of his property being stolen.”
Sonia Kidd, mitigating, explained that her client was heavily under the influence that night.
She said: “He had little knowledge of what was going on other than the phone being passed to him.
“He was clearly under the influence when he was arrested.”
She explained that there had been some difficulties within Siswick’s family and he had been enjoying a “rare night out” resulting in him drinking more than he usually would and acting inappropriately.
Magistrates fined the labourer, of Mitre Street in Marsh, £120.
He will have to pay £85 prosecution costs and £30 victim surcharge.