Songwriter stole Apple gadgets worth £35,000

A songwriter who stole nearly £35,000 of Apple products has been spared jail.

Ashton Jazz Foster, 25, took hundreds of iPhones, iPads and other merchandise while working as a shop assistant at Apple's store in Regent Street.

He created fake sales cancellations to cover up the thefts between December and February, Southwark crown court was told. The thefts were discovered because store staff have unique user numbers on the tills.

Foster, who attended the Brit performing arts school in Croydon, admitted theft and was sentenced to nine months, suspended for two years, and 180 hours of unpaid work. Judge Christopher Hardy also told him to pay Apple the value of the goods at the rate of £10,000 up front and then £400 a month.

He said: "What possessed somebody of your talent to indulge in a thoroughly dishonest fiddle I can't think.

Christopher Judson, defending, said his client now had a contract with Sony and had received an advance of £28,000.

Speaking from his home in Anerley, south-east London, Foster said: "Sometimes people do silly things to help out their friends, but I've learned my lesson - crime doesn't pay."