A PUB customer who conned bar staff into handing him someone else’s wallet with £450 inside has been convicted of theft.

Andrew White, 60, walked off with the money, a driving licence and bank cards, all of which were inside the wallet, York Magistrates' Court heard.

He then didn’t turn up for his trial at the same court.

After three and a half months, he was arrested on a warrant and brought before the court.

He was told that in his absence a deputy district judge had, after investigating the matter, decided he didn't have a reasonable excuse for not attending the trial, ordered it to go ahead in his absence and convicted him.

 “I’m very disappointed about it," said White. 

He was told he could appeal if he wanted to.

Jody Beaumont, prosecuting, said White had been in the Nags Head in Micklegate, York, on September 3 last year.

A member of the public had found a wallet in the pub and handed it in to bar staff.

A staff member asked White if the wallet belonged to him.

“He confirmed it belonged to him,” said Mr Beaumont.

The pub employee handed the wallet to White who took it. Inside was about £450 in cash, a driving licence and bank cards.

Neither the wallet nor any of its contents have been recovered, said Mr Beaumont.

Some time later, the real owner of the wallet asked bar staff if one had been handed in. He described what was inside the wallet in detail, said Mr Beaumont. Then staff realised how White had deceived them.

White, of Bretgate off Navigation Road, central York, denied a charge of theft when he first appeared before the court in March this year.

The case was adjourned for his trial to be heard on August 15 and White was given bail. But he failed to attend.

Following his arrest on warrant and being brought into court in custody, he pleaded guilty to failure to attend court in August.

He said he had contacted the court to tell them he had been in pain and had a hospital appointment which meant he couldn’t attend the trial.

District judge Adrian Lower said court staff had told him that the notice he sent to the court about his medical matters was not sufficient because it had been undated and that he had to send a medical note with a date on it.

“You didn’t provide anything with a date on it,” he said.

He sentenced White to one day’s imprisonment on each charge, to be served concurrently and said that he had served it while in custody following his arrest. White was released from the court cells.