A man has been ordered to pay almost £60,000 or face a two year prison sentence for selling tyres stolen from Pirelli.

Graham Wait appeared at Carlisle Crown Court today for a Proceeds of Crime hearing.

The court heard how Wait, of Mill Road, Bathgate, West Lothian, had benefitted from crime to the value of £59,365.63 after tyres were stolen from Pirelli Tyres and sold on eBay.

The 57-year-old was told that if he does not pay this amount to the court within three months he will spend two years in prison.

Appearing at Carlisle Crown Court in April 22, last year Wait was found guilty of theft.

He was handed an 18-month sentence suspended for two years, and also

ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,500 in costs.

Wait’s sentence was in connection with the theft of tyres from Pirelli while he was working as an employee of Drummonds Distribution.

Also involved in the theft was Mark Claxton, 55, a supervisor at the Carlisle firm, who was given a two-year community order in February of last year after pleading guilty to theft.

His last know address was The Square, Cummersdale.

Claxton was caught on CCTV loading stolen tyres on to a Drummonds Distribution HGV, which was then driven to Bathgate by Wait.

The stolen tyres were then sold on eBay.

After the criminal investigation concluded, a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation was then launched by Cumbria Police.

A spokesperson from the constabulary said: “This case should make people think twice before getting involved in crime as a way to make money.

"Although Wait was not sent to prison, under the Proceeds of Crime Act there is now a very real chance that if he does not pay £59365.63 within the three-month period he will go to prison for two years.

“This case demonstrates that a police investigation isn’t always over when criminals are sentenced in court.

"We will continue to target criminals who gain money from their crimes and work hard to ensure that the money is re-payed to the victims or the community the offender has affected.”