A TENANT who forcibly removed his landlord’s wallet, as he felt he was owed some of his deposit, was told by a judge he went the wrong way about retrieving the money.

Patrick Bulman was charged with robbery after the incident outside his Fishburn home, on December 8.

But, following representations to Durham Crown Court, implying he was owed some of the deposit, his not guilty plea to the charge was accepted by the prosecution, which offered “no evidence”.

Bulman, 28, of Diamond Close, admitted new charges of common assault and theft.

The court heard his girlfriend rented two properties from the landlord, a retired property manager, and at 4.40pm that day Bulman spotted him on the drive way.

Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said Bulman approached him and dragged him to the ground, causing two £20 notes to drop from his pocket.

Bulman removed the landlord’s wallet, saying he would cut his throat if he “grassed.”

But, he was arrested elsewhere in Fishburn, and the money was recovered.

Bulman told police he was owed it from his deposit.

Mr Walker said: “He (the landlord) claimed they had not paid their bonds, but letters put before the court today put a different complexion on it,”

Judge Christopher Prince noted that the defendant had a “quite extensive” list of previous offences, but nothing since moving to the UK from his native Ireland and giving up drug use, “turning his life around.”

Stephen Hammill, for Bulman, told the court: “He’s been in custody since his arrest and, given the change in landscape in this case, I would submit a sentence could be passed enabling him to be released from custody.”

Judge Prince agreed and imposed a one-year community order, with ten days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service.

He told Bulman: “There are ways to deal with these matters, when you’re owed money back from your deposit.

“I’m sure you genuinely felt he had money in his pocket from your partner. You took exactly the wrong course and you must come to realise you must not do that again.”