A convicted drug dealer will spend Christmas in prison after being found guilty of handling equipment, worth almost £22,000, stolen from a South Cumbrian medical centre.
John Atkinson, 43, had earlier denied a charge of handling or receiving oximeters — which measure blood oxygen levels — in March 2022. These were valued at £21,850 and had been stolen from the Burnett Edgar Medical Centre in Barrow.
A trial went ahead at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court yesterday in Atkinson’s absence after he failed to attend.
In court today, Atkinson was brought before magistrates having been arrested in the interim and claimed he hadn’t been present as he got his dates muddled up.
Prosecutor George Shelley said police had executed a warrant at a Carlisle address on March 22 2022, and arrested him, initially in connection with an unrelated matter. “Following a search of his address, the oximeters were located,” said the prosecutor.
Atkinson’s lawyer conceded Atkinson, c/o Springfield Road, Carlisle, had a horrendous criminal record and the court heard he was a convicted drug dealer.
Magistrates sent Atkinson’s case to Carlisle Crown Court, where he is due to be sentenced for handling the stolen goods — and also possession of three illegal drugs — on January 12.
In the meantime he was remanded in custody by the magistrates.
