Canterbury restaurateur spared jail
A Canterbury restaurateur has been spared jail by a court in Kent after pleading guilty to handling over £2,000 worth of stolen beer.
Simon Barrett, 46, of The End Way, Wayland, Chelmsford, who owns La Trappiste restaurant in Canterbury's Sun Street was instead given a 13-week jail sentence which was suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
Maidstone Crown Court was told that father of five and former builder, Barrett, turned to the catering trade in 2011. His father Andrew Barrett runs the Belgian Bar in Ramsgate, Kent.
He was originally charged with conspiracy to steal but that charge was dropped after he pleaded guilty to handling the beer. His father had also originally been charged but the prosecution offered no evidence against him.
The court was told that the beer involved was supplied by another man, Barry King from Queens Farm Road, Shorne, Gravesend, Kent, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to stealing £30,000 worth of specialist Belgian beer over a two year period.
King, who has yet to be sentenced sold 30 kegs worth £2,179 to Barrett at a reduced rate.
Barrett's counsel, Andrew Espley, said Barrett was hard-working and his only previous minor brush with the law was for dangerous driving.
He continued : "He has lost his good character today and that will hit him harder, it may be thought, than unpaid work and a suspended sentence."
Sentencing him Judge Charles Macdonald said there was some sophistication in committing the offence "but not a great deal".
He told Barrett: "There is genuine remorse. You have responsibilities. You have always been a worker. You have lost your reputation."