Woman cheated store with false ID

Second attempt drew staff suspicions

A CONWOMAN stole a victim’s identity to cheat stores out of electronic goods.

The 33-year-old told police she had acted under pressure after a man she had recently met demanded she repay some of the money he had reportedly lavished on her.

In the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 5, was 33-year-old Samantha Jane Stanley of College Piece, Mortimer.

Anne Sawyer-Brandish, prosecuting, said Ms Stanley produced a driving licence and bank card in the name of Lucy Hughesman to con staff at Currys PC World’s Aylesbury store into letting her walk out with an Apple MacBook Air tablet, worth £1,169, on finance.

Encouraged by the success of that scam, the court heard, she tried it again in another Currys PC World store, in Gillingham, where she selected two i-Phones.

On this occasion, however, staff became suspicious and made enquiries before calling police, who arrested Ms Stanley.

She admitted committing two offences of fraud by false representation on February 26.

Ms Stanley also has 25 previous convictions for offences including theft, assault, benefit fraud, threatening behaviour, drink-driving and causing criminal damage, magistrates were told.

A probation officer said she had been to London to meet two men who were known to a friend of hers.

The officer added: “She said the man she was with said he had spent a lot of money on her and she would have to give some back.

“He kept her passport as a bargaining tool.”

Gianpaolo Damiani, defending, said: “She has acted under the direction of another person, which lessens her culpability.”

Magistrates made Ms Stanley subject to a 12-month community order with a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

In addition she was required to complete 80 hours unpaid community work.

Finally, Ms Stanley was ordered to pay £1,169 to the store she cheated.

No order was made for costs because of her lack of means to pay and the compensation order was made in lieu of an otherwise statutory victim services surcharge.