Two men locked up over theft from blind busker

JUDGE: THIS IS HOW LOW DRUGS HAVE MADE YOU STOOP

TWO thieves who helped themselves to a blind busker’s earnings have been jailed for more than two years each.

Gary Williams and Alan Fothergill took the cash that guitarist Chris Chadwick-Parnell had made while playing outside WH Smiths in Bangor.

They were caught on camera scooping money out of his guitar case, and more than 100,000 people had seen the footage of the theft (a still pictured, main).

A judge who jailed the pair of them last Friday told them: “This is how low drugs have made you both stoop.”

Williams, 51, of Love Lane in Bangor, had denied stealing from 23-year-old Mr Chadwick-Parnell.

He was jailed for 30 months.

Big Issue seller Fothergill, 43, of Plas Mabon on Bangor’s Maesgeirchen estate, had pleaded guilty.

He was given 26 months, plus two months of a previous suspended sentence.

Caernarfon Crown Court heard the theft had had a huge impact on Mr ChadwickParnell.

He no longer felt able to busk, which was causing him significant financial problems, especially as he was an expectant father.

Judge Huw Rees said: “They took advantage of a blind man.”

He told the pair: “Both of you lied in interview, the one blaming the other.

“Your previous convictions are truly appalling.

“You are both deliberate thieves.”

The judge said the pair targeted Mr Chadwick-Parnell because was disabled.

He had been playing his guitar with his guide dog sitting by his side when the two men struck.

Fothergill had taken the cash out of the guitar case and handed it to Williams, who then gave Mr Chadwick-Parnell £4 back.

That was likely to be a “fraction” of what was taken, the court heard.

Mr Chadwick-Parnell could normally expect to make around £70 a day.

Anna Pope, representing Williams, said he had been a heroin addict for 30 years and offended to feed his habit.

He suffered from depression and anxiety and had accommodation problems.

Sarah Yates said her client Fothergill had mostly been in trouble in the past for lowlevel shoplifting.

After the video of the theft was published online, a fundraising campaign generated more than £1,000 for Mr ChadwickParnell.

He described people’s generosity as “heartwarming and humbling”.