Whitchurch woman's £2,500 spending spree with stolen bank card

Helen Edwards, 33, made 77 fraudulent transactions on a TSB card belonging to the 75-year-old victim.

She was only caught by police when store workers spotted a man's name on the bank card she was attempting to use, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.

Judge Jonathan Gosling told Edwards that she had abused the trust of the victim in what was "an extremely mean crime".

She racked up a total of £2,510.70 on the card over four weeks, which included a period of time when the victim was being treated in hospital.

Edwards had been asked by the man to help him around the house on an informal basis, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.

However, on February 19 this year she went into his bedroom and took his bank card without his consent.

Her illegal spending mainly included buying food from Iceland, and, on another occasion, goods from Argos, prosecutor Mr Phillip Beardwell said.

Edwards, of Wrexham Road, Whitchurch, appeared before Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday and was sentenced for five counts of fraud and one count of theft.

The counts relate to a period from February 19 for the following four weeks, a time that covered a hospital stay by the victim from March 6 until March 24.

Judge Jonathan Gosling yesterday sentenced the single mother to 32 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months.

Mr Beardwell, prosecuting, said her crimes involved a total of 77 transactions.

He told the court: "The victim asked a number of people to help him on an ad hoc basis and none of these had permission to use his bank card. He is able to do his own shopping.

"On the 24 March she tried to buy £19 worth of goods on the card but it declined and she asked the member of staff to swipe it. Staff at Iceland called the police as they'd noticed it wasn't her name on the card."

Ms Katie Longstaff, for Edwards, said the defendant maintained that she had been given permission to use the card but admitted that what she did was wrong.

Edwards pleaded guilty at the first instance to the offences.

Judge Gosling said: "This was an extremely mean crime.

"The victim was a vulnerable elderly man and he trusted you.

"Trusted you not to steal and abuse him.

"It's not the first time you have committed a crime of dishonesty. You didn't stop voluntarily."

He added that he could see she was remorseful and praised her for her early guilty plea.

The victim has since been reimbursed by his bank in full, the court was told.