Pregnant teenage fraudster spared jail (From The Oxford Times)

Pregnant teenage fraudster from Crook spared jail

11:16am Sunday 23rd December 2012 in National News By Duncan Leatherdale

A PREGNANT teenager who fraudulently cashed cheques worth £2,900 from her step-father and stole jewellery from her partner’s ex-girlfriend has been spared jail.

When she admitted three fraud charges and a theft at a previous hearing, magistrates in Newton Aycliffe warned Charlotte Atkinson that she could be jailed.

Instead they have ordered Atkinson to pay £1,629 in compensation and complete a 12 month community order with supervision.

Prosecutor David Maddison said Atkinson, 19, of West View in Crook, took seven cheques over two weeks in September from her step-father’s cheque book which she fraudulently cashed in gaining £2,900.

Mr Maddison said she used the money to buy furniture, but after the investigation the bank refunded the money to Atkinson’s step-father.

In a separate incident Atkinson, who is due to give birth in March, stole a pair of earrings and a clown pendant while visiting her partner’s ex-girlfriend and committed fraud when selling them for £179.

In mitigation the court heard she had had a difficult life and committed the crimes to get back at the victims after she took offence at their behaviour towards her.

Magistrates ordered her to pay compensation to the two shops where she sold the jewellery and £1,450 back to the bank that refunded her step-father’s cheques.