Mansfield woman went on one-hour spending spree with someone else’s bank card

Leah Wales took the Lloyds bank card after its owner forgot to remove it from a card reader while paying for items in the One Stop shop on Westfield Lane, on May 18.

"Instead of doing the right thing she took the card and made four subsequent purchases to a total value of £98," said prosecutor Alexis Mercer.

"The victim has been refunded by her bank but there is an application from Lloyds bank for compensation."

The court heard Wales, aged 35, has eight previous convictions for 15 offences, including 11 for theft, and was last in trouble in 2021 for three counts of making off without payment.

Ryan Higginnbotham, mitigating, said: "It was a split second decision. She used it within an hour. She knows there is no excusing her actions.

"She has let herself down after years of staying out of trouble and dealing with the problems that led to her offending.

He said in the past Wales had been in living in the YMCA and associating with the wrong people.

"Her partner was disappointed that she had regressed with this behaviour and they have split up," Mr Higginbothan said.

Wales, of George Street, admitted theft by finding and four counts of fraud by false representation, when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Tuesday.

She received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £98 compensation, with £85 costs and £26 surcharge.