Store manager claims he went back to work to collect vibrator, not to steal £500

Gary Biddulph, who was manager at Wilkinson's on Main Street, claimed he had given the sex toy to a woman at work he was having an affair with.

She had placed it in an office drawer and he wanted to remove it before the morning team arrived and found it.

Nottingham Crown Court was told the vibrator, which was exhibited in court in a Wilkinson's carrier bag, had a card attached.

It read: "Carole, enjoy. Love, Gary."

Carole Bexon gave evidence before the jury that she was having an affair with Biddulph.

And Biddulph (43), of Goldcrest Road, Cinderhill, pleaded not guilty to stealing 300 on May 6 last year and 500 six days later.

The jury cleared him on the first charge but convicted him on the second.

Giving evidence, he admitted going into the store at 5.03 am on May 12 and erasing CCTV footage.

He said: "It would have looked a bit funny going in just to get some paperwork. I went in to retrieve the vibrator."

He denied stealing the 500 that went missing from the safe.

He admitted initially telling the police that his wife would provide him with an alibi.

Mrs Bexon, who had worked at the store for 11 years, admitted she was at first going to be a witness for the prosecution. But she said she had then admitted the affair.

She had put the vibrator in the office drawer. But then, on the bus home, she realised what she had done and phoned Biddulph.

He told her he would go in and pick it up before the morning workforce, who used the same drawer, arrived and found it.

Recorder John Pini bailed Biddulph for sentence on a date to be fixed but warned him: "A custodial sentence is more likely than not. It was a gross breach of trust."