A man has been convicted for theft after being found stealing lead off a roof in Braintree.

Richard Brown, 43, unemployed, of Charles Pell Road, Colchester, pleaded guilty at Colchester Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Tuesday, June 26, where he received 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He was ordered to complete a 12-month community order, 200 hours unpaid work, pay £200 court costs and £1,000 compensation to the victim and his vehicle that was used to commit the offence has been forfeited to Essex Police.

The theft took place at around 4.15am on Friday, May 18, when a man was seen throwing lead off a roof in Fairfield Road.