'Farcical' excuse for parking meter raid

A man took an electric saw to a parking meter claiming it took £1.20 without giving him a ticket.

Paul Grandidge, 35, and accomplice Simon Myers, 37, tried to steal the

machine at 11pm on February 4.

The pair were hoping to slice it off at the base and take cash but

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police caught them next to the damaged machine in Wakefield.

Prosecuting at Wakefield Magistrates Court, Stephen Fox said: "It would appear someone had attempted to saw away at the base to cut through and steal the machine.

"Mr Grandidge claimed he had lost 1.20 earlier and was trying to

retrieve it - a farcical explanation."

Defending the men, both from Wakefield, who admitted attempted theft, Caroline Deacon said Grandidge had been "unhappy" after the machine failed to produce a ticket for him earlier.

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She said he hired the saw to renovate his house and had it in his car boot.

She said: "They would have obtained the contents but left the machine."

Jobless Myers apologised to the judge saying "times were hard", and his friend admitted he had been "stupid".

Grandidge, who has previous criminal convictions, was handed a 12-month

community order with 80 hours of unpaid work. He will also pay 135 in costs and compensation.

Myers was given a 12-month conditional discharge with the same financial penalties.

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