A pub boss who told drinkers he was going to 'rob the place blind' on his last night in charge was true to his word and did a flit with the takings.

Gareth Cantwell, who had a drink problem, also loaded the bottles of spirits into his car before disappearing into the night at the end of his tenancy.

But after the area manager arrived the following day to find the till empty, the 35-year-old was soon tracked down and charged with theft.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court on Friday that Cantwell and his wife had run The Pilot pub in Bowerhill, Melksham.

"She had left and the defendant was due to leave the pub on July 1 after serving his notice period," Mr Meeke said.

"On June 29 he spent the evening boasting to staff and customers about how he was going to rob the place."

The landlord told bar staff that the card reading machine was out of order and all purchases were to be 'cash only', Mr Meeke said.

"Staff say he repeated he was going to rob the place blind. He said he was going to take all the money and the spirits.

When the area manager for Moles Brewery arrived later on Sunday, June 30 he found £6,591.31 in cash and £205.10 worth of alcohol missing.

Cantwell, now of Ffordd Elizabeth, Llandudno, Conwy, Wales, pleaded guilty to theft.

Representing himself, the defendant told the court it was a stupid drunken idea when he hit rock bottom.

He told the court he was now bankrupt having 'lost my wife, my kids and job in two months'.

"If I could take it all back I definitely would. I was just being drunk and stupid. Drink got the better of me and I made a very stupid decision," he said.

Judge Douglas Field imposed a three-month sentence suspended for a year and told him to do 120 hours of unpaid work and complete an alcohol misuse course.

He said: "We are dealing here with the theft of just under £7,000 from your employer in a position of trust.

"Taking into account all the circumstances, you have not been in trouble before, financial and family problems, I can pass a suspended sentence."

Because of his financial situation he said he could not make a compensation order.