‘Trusted’ taxi driver stole OAP’s bank card and £5k

ATAXI driver in Pembrokeshire “befriended” a disabled customer, then stole thousands from him using his credit card.

Gary Michael Bourne appeared before Swansea Crown Court for sentencing having admitted six counts of theft.

The 52-year-old, of The Meadows, Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire, would give the complainant, Brian Griffiths, an elderly customer, regular lifts.

Mr Griffiths, who has since passed away aged 72, had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and refractory (non-reversible) asthma. This disease is characterised by increasing breathlessness.

His 92-year-old mother was also a regular customer in poor health with significant mobility difficulties.

They regularly used a taxi firm which was co-owned by Bourne.

In September 2016, during a trip, Mr Griffiths asked Bourne to withdraw £300 for him at a cash machine, giving him his card and his PIN.

The court heard Mr Griffiths trusted Bourne “implicitly”, and he would regularly help him with tasks such as putting the rubbish out.

In January 2017, Mr Griffiths was ill and was unable to leave his bedroom. He left his bank cards in the living-room.

On February 12, 2017, he realised one bank card, to a NatWest account he shared with his mother, who lived with him, was missing.

He went to his bank to look at his transactions, and found that on January 30, 2017, there were 12 separate withdrawals from cash machines and 10 point-of-sale transactions.

Items purchased were car parts, jewellery and a fridge-freezer unit.

The money stolen amounted to £5,134.90.

Bourne was arrested and interviewed by police and told officers he had known Mr Griffiths since 2010.

He maintained he planned to pay the money back “when business picked up” and had taken the money as he had come up against hard times.

In a personal statement, Mr Griffiths had described how the theft had made him ill, and caused him “indescribable worry.”

The money was intended to pay for an operation on his mother’s knees, and as a result of it being missing surgery could not take place, causing her further mobility issues.

Mitigating, Jon Tarrant said his client was extremely remorseful for his actions.

Judge Rees said: “You befriended him. Such people like Mr Griffiths and his mother are highly reliant on others. You abused that trust stealing his debit card and persistently using it.

“It started when the victim gave his card and number unwittingly for you to withdraw money as it was a task he was unable to do himself.

“The effect on them was devastating and Mr Griffiths has since passed away. In his latter days he became anxious about these events.

“He never thought you would do this to him. It caused them both a great deal of worry and stress.

“Your seemingly kind gestures was a carefully laid plan to take advantage. Your actions were despicable.”

Bourne was jailed for 18 months.