A MAN who stole an iPod and threatened two young men had no intention of doing the crime.

Adam Rock, of Wensleydale Drive, Blackpole, Worcester, received a 12-month conditional discharge after the theft which happened on a petrol station forecourt at about 12.30am on Friday, August 31.

The 29 year old, who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, stole an iPod Classic worth £180 belonging to Joshua Saunders after asking Robert Askew, who was sitting in the passenger seat, if he could take a look at it.

Sarah Stock, prosecuting, told Worcester magistrates that Rock removed the cable from the device and said: “I will put it in my pocket and save you from a good kicking” before walking over to a woman stood in a nearby alleyway.

After talking to the woman, Rock walked back to the car, but the two men drove off having called the police. Officers searched Rock and the area for the iPod, which was found concealed in the branches of a tree.

Mark Sheward, defending, said: “He has always said he had no intention of keeping it, but pleads guilty that he had ass-umed the rights of the owner and taken it away from the person who owned it.

“Had these young men stayed on the forecourt he would have given it back. The CCTV clearly shows him walking back towards the car, but you can understand that they thought ‘we don’t want to stop around here’ and drove off.”

Mr Sheward said that a friend of Rock’s had taken the iPod, but hid it as he didn’t want to get into trouble with the police.

Rock’s intention had been to give it to the cashier in the hope that it would be returned to Mr Saunders.

Rock accepted the men may have been intimidated by his behaviour, but Mr Sheward said there was no suggestion that he would have been violent towards them.

Rock was also ordered to pay costs of £85.