A MAN who worked for a Poole business which ships smartphones to stores stole mobiles worth more than £6,500 over the course of 16 months, a court heard this week.

Damian Otto, of Shelbourne Road in Bournemouth, appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court on Tuesday to admit a single count of theft by employee.

It was heard that Otto, 30, was working for Clove Technology, which is based on the Alder Hills Industrial Estate, when he took the phones between September 2017 and January this year.

Initially, Otto was charged with stealing mobiles worth £8,291.34. However, prosecutors accepted a lower figure of £6,557.68.

The defendant was ordered to repay that amount in full. He must also varry out 120 hours of community service over the course of the next 12 months.