A PONTRILAS man began a prison sentence last Friday after being convicted of stealing £10,000 of council property.

Adrian Lowther, the former head of cultural services at Wellingborough Council, used authority funds to buy three specialist bikes, a digital camera and a home cinema system for his own use between December 2000 and March 2002.

He then staged a break-in at the town's Redwell Leisure Centre in December 2001 to explain their disappearance before an internal audit.

Denied charges

The 36-year-old denied five charges of theft, but a jury at Northampton Crown Court unanimously found him guilty on all counts.

Lowther, who was responsible for the town's three sports centres, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for each count to run concurrently.

After the hearing, Wellingborough Council chief executive, Tony McArdle said: "What the public has a right to expect from the council is that it has procedures in place to detect such things happening, stop them happening and deal with the person concerned.

"That is what happened here. The council will not allow any member of staff to abuse their position in this way.

"I know Mr Lowther's former work colleagues feel badly let down by his actions.

"They and the public deserve better."