A "GREEDY" salesman conspired with an accomplice to steal a £16,500 BMW 420D from the used car business where he had only just started working.

Employee Christopher Williams teamed up with Jonathan Harris to pinch the luxury vehicle from Newport’s Motorplus Car Supermarket just after Christmas 2018.

Prosecutor Laurence Jones told Cardiff Crown Court how sales executive Williams abused his position of trust by handing a key to Harris who drove the car away.

He had only been working for the company for a matter of weeks.

The duo, both from Pontypool, were jailed for 12 months.

Mr Jones said Motorplus Car Supermarket noticed the BMW was missing in early January and upon reviewing the CCTV contacted the police.

Detectives were able to see the crime committed in the footage which had captured it.

Williams, aged 53, of School Terrace, Pontnewynydd and Harris, aged 46, of Lancaster Road, New Inn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal.

The car was recovered undamaged by police but with an extra 1,000 miles on the clock.

The court heard how Harris sent text messages to his partner in crime, saying: “Give me a call as soon as possible – I’ve got a good little earner for you.”

Another he sent the day before the theft read: “All good to go later bro?”

Mr Jones told the Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Eleri Rees, how Harris had a long criminal history.

He had 31 previous appearances for 88 offences, half of which were for dishonesty.

Williams’ record read that there were eight convictions for 10 offences, including a period in prison for conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Stephen Thomas, mitigating for Harris, asked for his client to be given credit for his guilty plea.

His barrister said that the defendant had not worn a mask and had not threatened or intimidated any employees at Motorplus Car Supermarket.

Hashim Salmman, for Williams, said his pre-sentence report by the Probation Service had categorised him as being at a “low-risk” of reoffending.

His client had experienced a personal tragedy in the early 1990s.

Mr Salmman said: “His relationship broke down and he spiralled into drinking alcohol to excess and misusing controlled drugs like cannabis and cocaine.”

Judge Rees told the defendants: “This may not have been the most sophisticated offending but the motive here was greed.”