A DISGRACED security guard has seen justice after he was wrongfully accused of stealing thousands of pounds worth of goods from a supermarket.
Adam Jammeh forced the Tesco Extra store on Portman Road to be locked down for 24 hours after he staged a protest in the rafters of the ceiling in October.
After months of peaceful campaigning outside the store, he finally received a letter of apology and on Friday a different security guard was handed a suspended sentence.
Lamin Manneh, of Pearson Way, Woodley, admitted to stealing electronics worth at least £10,000 and selling the items on to make money out of desperation.
Francis Lloyd, prosecuting at Reading Crown Court, said: “He was employed as a security guard at Tesco and between February and May 2016 on 41 occasions he was seen stealing goods.
“We would argue he was given a powerful position of trust and these offences amount to high culpability and a significant breach of that trust.
“He was caught and consistently denied the offences until the matter was listed for trial when he changed his plea.”
Manneh, 46, is about to have his seventh child and his representative argued the impact of prison would be financially devastating to his family.
Edward Culver, mitigating, said the watchman became desperate for money to support his family after accumulating debts of £2,500.
He was given a 10-month sentence, suspended for eight months, with a requirement to cary out 240 hours of unpaid work.
Deputy circuit judge Alistair McCreath, added: “I struggle to believe that you are genuinely remorseful. I believe that you regret being caught, but I do not know what you expected to happen.
“You must have known you would eventually be caught. However, I must take into account the affect it would have on your family if I were to send you to prison immediately.”
Jammeh, who was employed by Total Security Services, saw his career tarnished by a year-long police investigation.
The damage to his reputation made it impossible for him to find another job, even after the charges were dropped.
He appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court after the protest ended, charged with public order offences and paid a fine of £20.
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