A man has been sentenced after he was convicted of stealing items from Highbridge recycling centre.

He stole the items at the recycling centre in 2014 that was tracked down by police and brought to court to face justice.

Husyin Guda, who twice stole items from the site, was given a criminal record by Taunton magistrates.

Guda admitted “theft by finding” on two occasions at Highbridge Recycling Centre in 2014 as well as possession of the Class B drug amphetamine.

Magistrates sentenced him to a community order of 40 hours of unpaid community work, to be supervised by the probation service for 12 months, and to pay £60 costs.

A Somerset Waste Partnership spokesman said: "If customers take care and follow site staff advice, recycling centres are safe environments.

“But these two cases prove the risks of breaking the law when trying to steal from recycling sites.

"Being detected, arrested, charged and convicted is the obvious consequence of such criminal behaviour.

"And climbing into a recycling skip is very dangerous - it is no exaggeration to say that you could easily lose your life from a cut or stab wound.

"Taking such risks alone at night and in the dark for incredibly small returns suggests a reckless stupidity beyond comprehension."

Anyone with information about recycling site crime should call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.