Thief jailed after spending £70 on stolen debit card
A THIEF stole a woman’s debit card and spent more than £70 in shops in Bridgend before she was caught.
Alicia Nevard, 33, claimed she found a Halifax card belonging to Donna Heard on the floor and was planning to hand it in to police but she had taken Valium and alcohol which had affected her judgement.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard Ms Heard had visited the Halifax branch in Caroline Street on August 27 but when she got home she noticed a number of transactions had been made which she was not responsible for.
When she looked for her card, she realised it was missing.
The transactions had been made at a number of shops in Bridgend including Tesco, Premier Shops, and Bargain Booze, with the total coming to £74.40.
The missing card was reported and cancelled and the money was refunded to Ms Heard’s account, but she later received another text message to say someone had attempted to use her card.
On August 30 police officers visited the shops where the transactions had been made and after viewing CCTV footage they were able to identify the defendant Nevard.
On September 17 officers visited The Phoenix pub in Bridgend and arrested Nevard, who claimed she was intoxicated at the time the thefts were carried out.
She later pleaded guilty to theft and four counts of fraud.
At the time of the offence she was under a suspended sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The court heard Nevard had a long history of drug misuse and a number of previous convictions for dishonesty which were
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Defence barrister Robert Chudleigh said his client was remorseful for taking the card and wanted to offer an apology to the court and the victim Ms Heard.
Sentencing, Judge Richard Twomlow said: “You have a bad record of dishonesty and each time you used that card you knew very well you were in breach of this suspended sentence.
“The offence is so serious only an immediate prison sentence can be justified.”
Nevard, of Ty’ Yr Haul, Brynmenyn, Bridgend, was sentenced to a total of six months’ imprisonment.