A WAREHOUSE boss who stole thousands of pounds worth of satellite navigation systems and laptop computers has walked free from court.

John Kelly used his senior position to send the expensive items to his home address, Swindon Crown Court was told.

And the 27-year-old was only found out when his housemate contacted the firm when packages continued to arrive after Kelly had left his job.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, said Kelly worked for Medion Electronics Ltd for about 20 months before his arrest in May this year.

She said he was employed first as a temporary worker but was then taken on full time as a warehouse manager.

Because of the way the system worked when there were stock discrepancies a block was placed on orders.

She said two people in the company, one of whom was Kelly, had the ability to go behind the system and reset it.

"This enabled him to box up and take to his home address 30 laptops and 30 satellite navigation systems," she said.

"This came to light a week after he left the company for an unrelated matter. His housemate phoned the company and said a number of items had been sent there."

She said the way the company's system worked meant they had no idea what had gone missing.

The police were contacted and when he was questioned the figures of 30 laptops, worth on average £400, and 30 sat navs which retail at £199 were mentioned.

She said on those figures the total value of the items stolen came to about £18,000.

Kelly, of Turnham green, Freshbrook, pleaded guilty to theft.

Mike Pulsford, defending, said that not all of the computers stolen were new laptops but some were refurbished.

He added that other items were in fact parts for the machines, which did not work properly.

In total he said his client only received about £5,000 from the sale of the items he stole adding that it was clear others were involved in the thefts.

Mr Pulsford said: "Mr Kelly is a man who despite a very difficult earlier life was able to leave school with some qualifications and go into further education."

He said his client had held down a number of jobs and managed to get work in telesales after losing his employment at Medion.

Kelly lived alone, he said, after a relationship broke down and he felt his life was coming unstitched after being turned around.

He said he has contact with his two children who he sees on an almost weekly basis.

Passing sentence Judge Douglas Field said: "You were in a position of trust and over a period you stole from your employers.

"It is difficult to put an exact value on those items, but I will accept the £5,000 value you put on them. Anyone who does that must be at risk of going straight to prison."

However, having read the pre-sentence report he said he could impose a community order and told Kelly to do 200 hours of community service and pay £1,000 compensation and £270 costs.