NEARLY £30,000 worth of steel coils were stolen from a Newport compound by a man employed at the site, a court heard.

But, despite benefiting to the tune of £37,662 from the thefts from BRC Limited, Stephen Cockings will be able to pay back only £1,000 from the sale of his two cars.

A Proceeds of Crime Act application was heard at Newport Crown Court on Monday to try to recoup the money Cockings, 58, of Bishton Street, Newport, made from his offending.

Cockings was found guilty of four counts of theft following a trial earlier this year and was handed a 36- week prison sentence suspended for two years. During the trial the court heard that Cockings was employed at BRC Limited’s compound in Corporation Road.

On four occasions between January 22 and February 3, 2011, he used a forklift to move steel coils at around 4am. These were then taken around the back of the site and loaded onto a lorry for them to be taken for sale.

At Newport Crown Court prosecutor Hywel Hughes said the coils were worth £29,000, but Cockings benefited to the tune of £37,662 by selling them on. However, the only assets he now has are two cars – a Citroen Picasso worth £795 and a Ford Galaxy worth £205.

Judge David Wynn Morgan ordered Cockings to sell the cars and pay £1,000 within six months or face 28 days in prison.