Harry Potter theft - youth 'has apologised to author'

A teenage boy who became involved in a plot to sell stolen pages of the new Harry Potter book to a tabloid newspaper has written an apology to author J K Rowling, a court heard today.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons but comes from near Beccles, Suffolk, admitted receiving stolen goods when he appeared before a youth court in Lowestoft, Suffolk, today.

A second 16-year-old boy also admitted receiving stolen goods at the same hearing.

The magistrates gave both youths absolute discharges.

The youths thought they could make money out of a newspaper after coming into possession of the stolen pages from the novel Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix, magistrates were told.

The two youngsters apologised for what they had done. The court was told that one had written a three-page letter of apology to J K Rowling – who created Harry Potter.

On Wednesday forklift truck driver Donald Parfitt, 44, of Worlingham, Suffolk, admitted stealing pages from Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix.

Magistrates in Lowestoft were told that Parfitt – who worked at Clays Printers in Bungay, Suffolk, where the book is being printed – had found the pages in a car park at the firm.

He had contacted The Sun newspaper in the hope of selling the pages for £25,000 (€35,150).

But journalists at The Sun contacted police and Parfitt – and the two youths in court today – were arrested.

Parfitt is due to be sentenced next month.

* Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth book in J K Rowling’s best-selling series, is due in bookshops on June 21.