Bridal bandit gets two months jail

WEDDING CRASHER: A security camera image of a man who broke into a wishing well box in March.

An Ocean Grove man who stole thousands from a wedding on the Bellarine Peninsula in March will spend two months in jail.

Leigh Webber, 41, pleaded guilty in Geelong Magistrates’ Court on Monday to stealing $3700 from the wedding of Breanna and Danny Harrison at Jack Rabbit Winery on 3 March.

The winery’s security cameras filmed Webber stealing the money from a wishing well box between 6pm and 11.15pm, the Indy reported in March.

Webber had been at a wedding at the nearby Terindah Estate when he had an argument with his wife, the court heard.

According to Webber’s defence lawyer, he then decided to take back a gift he provided at the wedding but went to the wrong venue.

The father-of-two used a tool from his car to break into the padlocked box and steal cash-filled envelopes before fleeing, the court heard.

Police released images of the theft and a white ute in their hunt for a suspect in March.

The magistrate noted Webber’s history of dishonesty offences when she handed down the sentence.

Webber served time behind bars in 2013 for stealing from a man shortly after he died.

The magistrate ordered Webber to pay the $3700 back to the Harrisons and fined him $900.

She also sentenced him to a 12-month corrections order for offences including petrol thefts.