Gatecrasher stole at Thatcham birthday party
Teen took woman's bank card and bought football shirt
A MAN who gatecrashed a Thatcham teenager’s birthday party stole a bank card from the host’s mother.
The thief managed to get into the party, held at an address in Station Road, by tagging along with his younger brother, Reading magistrates heard on Thursday, October 26.
But 19-year-old George Asumadu repaid the hospitality by sneaking into an upstairs bathroom and stealing a Barclays Bank card from the 17-year-old birthday boy’s mother, Antoinette Henderson, the court was told.
Charlotte Abbott, prosecuting, said the card was removed from her jeans pocket and Ms Henderson only realised what had happened when she saw a payment for a sports shirt, which she had not ordered, appear on her account.
Police traced the sale to local healthcare assistant Mr Asumadu and arrested him, but he gave a ‘no comment’ interview, added Ms Abbott.
But Mr Asumadu had not thought his crime through very carefully – because he had used his own email address and home address in Bourne Stevens Close, Reading, to have the shirt delivered.
He admitted one charge of committing fraud by making a false representation, namely buying a German football shirt worth £34.99 from Sports Direct on June 12.
A charge of stealing the bank card from Ms Henderson was withdrawn by the prosecution.
Belinda Knight, defending, said her client was “a young man of previous good character”.
She said Mr Asumadu’s younger brother had been at the birthday party and had been dealt with by the Youth Offending Team for another matter arising from the festivities.
Ms Knight said: “This was hardly the most sophisticated of thefts – he gave his own email and home address. It is silly beyond words.”
She said Mr Asumadu held down a “responsible job” as a West Berkshire healthcare assistant and concluded: “He hopes that this won’t have to mean the end of his employment. ”
Magistrates made Mr Asumadu subject to a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £85 costs plus a statutory victim services surcharge of £20. Finally, they ordered Mr Asumadu to pay Ms Henderson £34.99 in compensation.
