Dripping Pan thief spared jail

6:50pm Thursday 28th August 2008

A thief who pushed a 62-year-old steward after raiding lockers at a football stadium has been spared prison.

David Seville broke into the changing rooms at Lewes Football Club’s Dripping Pan ground.

He snatched property worth £1,500 from the players – including ten mobile phones, sports clothing and digital music players.

Football steward Nick Fears encountered Seville as he was locking a changing room while Lewes played host to Southampton in a pre-season friendly.

The retired postman tried to stop Seville but was pushed aside. He then bravely gave chase alongside Lewes striker Jean Michel Sigere. Police arrived at the scene within minutes and asked Mr Fears to drive around the town with them to look for the culprit.

To their surprise, he pointed out the crook within minutes – enjoying a drink outside the John Harvey Tavern, in nearby Cliffe High Street.

Luton Crown Court heard that Seville, 26, had a history of raiding lockers at sports venues, including Fulham Football Club.

He was sentenced for the Lewes burglary and a similar incident in Baldock, Hertfordshire.

On April 8, he stole from four lockers at Baldock Football Club while the team were training. Property worth almost £1,000 was taken and never recovered.

Seville, of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty to burglary, theft and common assault.

The court heard he had previous convictions for similar offences including thefts from Fulham players.

He had breached two previous suspended sentences and been jailed for breaches.

David Wales, defending, said Seville had been unable to cope with two traumatic incidents and had turned to cocaine and alcohol and committed crimes to pay for his addictions. He was no longer on drugs.

Seville was given a 12- month prison sentence suspended for two years with supervision, requirements to attend drug and alcohol programmes and a nighttime curfew for six months.

Editor's Choice