Warsop woman stole £3,500 from boyfriend’s grandad to fund gambling habit

Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard Leah Richmond helped the man set up the internet banking account on his phone before making withdrawals without his permission over a five-month period.

Daniel Pietryka, prosecuting, said that in total she stole £3,553, while living at his home in Church Warsop, before the deception was uncovered on September 9.

Richmond, formerly of Edwinstowe, and now of Longden Terrace, Warsop, admitted one count of theft.

Chris Perry, mitigating, said 23-year-old Richmond, of previous good character, ‘helped him set up the account for good reasons’.

He said: “She told the police she always intended to pay it back, but there comes a point where there was no possibility it could be paid back as she got deeper into it.

“Effectively the bank is the real loser as they will have to compensate the grandfather. They will feel the hurt much less.

"She is responsible for the repayment of compensation. I can only ask the bench to consider her means to pay. She has a young child and is on Universal Credit.”

Richmond was given a 12-month community order, with 20 rehabilitation days ‘to address the probation service's concerns’ about her.

She was ordered to pay £500 compensation to the bank.

Magistrates told her: “You must understand, what you did was extremely wrong and I hope you have now seen the error of your ways and there won't be any further happenings like this again.”