'Mean' Leeds woman stole £1,000 from grandfather's account

Tammy Hart had been helping to decorate the 72-year-old’s home in July of last year when she took the opportunity to use his card.

Prosecutor Emma Handley said Hart offered to go food shopping for him and used the card with the PIN.

Hart, 43, then took the card and with drew £250 on consecutive days – July 5, 6, 7 and 8.

When the man’s daughter noticed the transactions on his bank statement, she challenged Hart because of her history of stealing, but she denied it.

Hart was then caught shoplifting in Asda in Wakefield on July 12.

Security guards stopped her with carrier bags brimming with bottles of spirits and electrical goods trying to leave the shop without paying.

The total value of the items was £669.

She then gave her daughter’s name when asked.

Quizzed by police for all offences, she admitted the shoplifting but said she was intoxicated and taking diazepam at the time, suggesting she could not recall the theft.

She continued to deny defrauding her grandfather, saying he gave her permission and she paid him back in buying decorating equipment for his home.

Hart, of Blake Grove, Chapel Allerton, eventually pleaded guilty to all offences.

The court was told she had 35 previous convictions for 67 offences.

She appeared in court via video link from HMP New Hall.

No mitigation was offered on her behalf after Judge Christopher Batty said he would not be handing her a custodial sentence.

He told Hart: “It was mean. He could ill afford to lose this amount of money and it was not yours to take.

"You have a really poor record.

"There’s a lot of work that can be done with you, to save you sitting in New Hall.”

He said she was lucky not to be charge with perverting the course of justice after giving a false name when she was caught shoplifting.

Judge Batty handed her 11 months’ jail, suspended for 18 months.

He has also gave her 30 rehabilitation days and 60 hours of unpaid work to complete.