A LORRY driver who hid 180 bottles of whisky behind a hedge in a layby instead of delivering them to The Netherlands has received a suspended prison sentence.

Mark Varley initially claimed the Hanky Bannister Scotch blended whisky, worth more than £7,000, had been stolen, but a jury rejected his account and convicted him of theft.

His barrister, Tom Gent, said after the verdict that Varley admitted he had stolen the bottles because he had major money problems at the time.

Recorder Amanda Rippon told Varley: “I accept you were in a dire financial situation. But there are plenty of people up and down the country who find themselves in a situation of considerable financial difficulties who don’t resort to crime. Honest people don’t resort to crime.”

She said the only reason she was suspending the six-month prison sentence was because of the impact custody for would have upon his small children.

Varley, 46, of Ferry Close, Hemingbrough, must do 12 months’ supervision and 100 hours’ unpaid work.

In 2008, he received a 12-month community order for stealing diesel from his then employer.

In February, the jury heard Varley claim he left his HGV unattended in a layby on the A63 for 34 minutes while he returned to his nearby home to pick up some extra clothes. When he subsequently arrived at his destination in the Netherlands, some of the whisky he was transporting was found to be missing.

The prosecution convinced the jury he had unloaded the missing crates and left them behind a hedge at the layby, where a member of the public found them and alerted police.

Mr Gent said since his theft, Varley - who previously said he had more than 20 years’ experience working in haulage - had spent time in prison for non-payment of fines.

Mr Gent said: “He has learnt his lesson and admitted his guilt. He has had a taste of custody and doesn’t want it again.”