Depressed brother had stash of stolen goods

Jan 29 2008 by Lisa Jones, South Wales Echo

A DEPRESSED agoraphobic hoarded DVDs and computer games his brother had stolen in a series of burglaries.

Police searched the home Nicholas Potter shared with his brother, Lee, at Ceredig Street, Merthyr Tydfil, and found the stash in his bedroom.

Cardiff Magistrates’ court heard Lee Potter had been in a relationship with a Cardiff student and had visited her student digs before Christmas.

During the Christmas holidays, when the halls of residence were empty, Lee Potter broke into five rooms. Prosecutor Sarah Asprey said evidence from there led to the Potter brothers’ door.

“He (Nicholas) said he had bought the items from an unknown male for £40 to £60,” she said.

Jeremy Bird, defending, said Potter, 22, suffered from headaches, acute depression and agoraphobia.

He said: “He rarely, if ever goes outside the front door.”

Potter admitted possessing amphetamine and handling stolen goods.

He is due to be sentenced on February 18.