A HUDDERSFIELD shop has received an apology after a judge publicly criticised it in a case regarding stolen goods.

Cash Generator, based on John William Street, was accused of refusing to hand back stolen goods it had unwittingly bought by a judge at Bradford Crown Court in March.

Mirfield man Darren Walker, 24 was found guilty of stealing items from student accommodation in Marsh.

He sold the items, including a stereo, games console and DVDs, to Cash Generator in exchange for cash.

Walker, of Eastway Park, was sentenced to a three-year community order and an 18-month drug rehabilitation order.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC was told the shop wanted compensation before giving the goods back to their rightful owners.

He said that was outrageous and accused Cash Generator of holding the court and the property owners to ransom.

But the shop always denied seeking compensation and said the goods would be returned whenever the police asked.

Now they have received a public apology from senior crown prosecutor James Goddard.

He admitted that the statement that the shop was seeking compensation was wrong.

He blamed inaccurate information in a police file used by the prosecution.

He said someone in the police service had misunderstood a statement made by a Cash Generator employee.

Mr Goddard added: "These officials now accept they were wrong in their criticism of the Cash Generator store in Huddersfield.

"Now they wholeheartedly agree that Cash Generator did everything they possibly could to assist the police and were helpful in the conviction."

Judge Hall is also set to make a public apology when he sits at the next hearing for another man jointly accused of stealing items from the Marsh properties.

Brian Lewis, director of Cash Generator, welcomed the apology, but said the judge's comments had damaged his company.

He said: "It was soul-destroying to have this terrible untruth said about us.

"We spend our lives trying to ensure that these things that we are accused of don't happen. We co-operate more than fully with the police.

"To have it slammed in our faces that we didn't is very hurtful. It is damaging.

"If I had read what was said I would think twice about going to Cash Generator," he added