A DECEITFUL shop assistant and his burglar friend have avoided jail but must repay the money they stole from the shop where one of them worked, York Crown Court heard.

While employed at Wigginton Village Store, Daniel Mark Killen helped Richard James Caygill carry out a raid on the shop on March 14 because Caygill had a bank debt.

David Garnett, prosecuting, said within hours of Caygill darting in and out of the store’s back room, Killen gave police a statement in which he claimed he had been the victim of a robbery.

CCTV in the shop captured Caygill going straight to the money’s location as if he knew where it was and pushing Killen out of his way as he left the shop. The two had arranged the whole incident beforehand, and afterwards split the £1,615 stolen cash between them.

The Press understands they did so because Caygill had a bank overdraft and did not contact the bank about it until daily bank charges had increased it to several hundred pounds. Both are now on the dole.

Recorder Ben Nolan QC told them: “This was a crazy scheme in some ways. It was always bound to fail.

“There is no reason why the proprietors of this store should suffer financially from what you have done.”

He ordered Killen, 18, of Hawthorn Terrace, New Earswick, and Caygill, 20, of Calvert Close, Haxby, to pay £808 compensation each within two years, and gave each a community order with 12 months’ supervision and 150 hours’ unpaid work.

Both admitted burglary, and Killen admitted perverting the course of justice.

Their solicitor advocate, Kevin Blount, said they both accepted they had to repay the money. But they were struggling to get work, particularly in Killen’s case since his role in the raid was made public.

Joint shop owner Anne-Marie Jeffery said she was pleased for the sake of the pair’s parents that they had not gone to jail. She said Killen’s breach of trust had made her wary of taking on young people.

The raid had been a big blow to the shop at a difficult time, but it was now looking forward to a better future, she said. She welcomed the compensation order and hoped the pair would learn an important lesson.