Police found a scanning receiver, used for listening to police messages, in the car of a motorist who had a string of previous convictions.

Pc Jerry Parsons told Didcot magistrates he spotted the 200-channel Realistic scanner in the pocket of Vincenzo Granito's car door when he searched his Ford Granada on the A4170, near Didcot power station, on the evening of June 11.

Unemployed Granito, of Barretts Way, Sutton Courtenay, was found guilty under the Wireless and Telegraphy Act of using the Realistic scanner with intent to obtain unauthorised information between June 9 and 12. He had denied the charge.

Granito, who is married with three children, was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay costs of £50. Magistrates ordered the scanning receiver to be confiscated. Pc Parsons said when he switched the scanner on, it was tuned to a police frequency for the Wantage control room, which covers the Didcot area.

The device was capable of receiving police messages between Faringdon and Wallingford and south to Newbury, as well as further afield to Aylesbury, Gloucester, Reading, Slough and Hampshire.

Sgt Peter Gotch said he had been on duty in an unmarked police car watching Granito's home the previous night.

He said that in an interview, Granito talked about the night before. He told the police: "I saw you and I heard you on the scanner."

Granito did not give evidence, but Sabeeha Khan, defending, said the scanner belonged to his son.

She said Granito had readily agreed to officers searching his car.

She said: "If Mr Granito had been using it, he might not have agreed to police searching the car when he was stopped."

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