A 55-YEAR-OLD farm worker and carer has been given an 80-hour community order after he bypassed an electricity meter, abstracting more than £3,000 of electricity.

Nicholas Faulds appeared at Cwmbran Magistrates' Court yesterday. He pleaded guilty to abstracting £3,107.94 worth of electricity at the farm where he lives on Old Monmouth Road, Llanddewi Rhydderch, between November 2014 and May this year.

He was told to undertake 80 hours of unpaid work and must pay £145 in a victim surcharge and court costs.

The court heard how was told Faulds started working on the farm as a labourer 15 years ago for the two brothers who owned it. Dave Lewis, defending, said Faulds had become a close family friend and following the death of one of the brothers five years ago, became a carer for the remaining brother.

But In November last year a fire in onone of the farm’s barns destroyed the electrics.

Mr Lewis said: “They were left electricity-less in November last year as the weather was getting colder."

Central heating was not working and all they had were electric heaters.

He said they were short of money so Mr Faulds bypassed the meter so he and the brother had some electricity, adding: "For day to day activities and provide some sort of heating.”

British Gas discovered what was happening last month and on June 18 Faulds was arrested.