Jail for man who stole from his ex-partner

A man who stole cash from his ex-partner after she was knocked out by a Valium tablet has been jailed for 16 months.

Reece Hardy, 27, gave the victim the Valium while they were out in Scarborough, and when she passed out he raided her purse and took out her bank card, keys and £25 in cash, York Crown Court heard.

An ambulance was called and while the victim was beNovember transported to hospital, Hardy withdrew £75 from her account using the stolen bank card.

Prosecutor Victoria Barker said the victim, who was named in court, woke up in hospital to discover all her bank cards were missing.

Hardy was arrested and charged with theft from the person, fraud and breaching a suspended prison sentence. He admitted the offences and appeared for sentence via video link.

Ms Barker said Hardy had met up with his ex-partner in Scarborough town centre on 15 and they went for a drink in a local pub where he handed her a Valium tablet which she swallowed.

“That resulted in her passing out,” added Ms Barker. “The defendant goes into her purse and takes out £25 and a number of her bank cards and keys.”

She said Hardy withdrew £75 from a cash machine, in three separate withdrawals, even before the victim arrived at hospital at about 7.30pm.

Ms Barker said that Hardy, of Lonsdale Road, Scarborough, was on bail at the time after being previously arresting ed and charged with an alleged criminal-damage offence in September. Part of his bail conditions was not to contact his ex-partner.

The shocking offences occurred just a week after Hardy had been convicted of assaulting a teenager with learning difficulties in Scarborough town centre in July.

David Camidge, for Hardy, said his client’s offending was fuelled by alcohol.

Jailing Hardy for 16 months, judge Simon Hickey said he had taken advantage of his ex-partner after she had passed out.