Newport woman defrauded dad to treat her depression with retail therapy (From South Wales Argus)

Newport woman defrauded dad to treat her depression with retail therapy

11:12am Friday 15th February 2013 in News

A WOMAN used a false identification to defraud her father of more than £3,500 to go on a shopping spree to treat her depression.

Hanna Marie Ward, 28, of Gaer Park Lane, Newport, set up a Paypal account under another name which she transferred money to from her father’s account to spend in stores including Boots, Debenhams and Dorothy Perkins.

Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court heard she also used her father’s card details to buy online and withdraw cash making a total gain for herself of £3,587.33.

Ward appeared at the court where she pleaded guilty to committing fraud by false representation between October 8 and January 28.

The court heard from probation staff that Ward had said when she feels depressed, which she quite often does, she uses retail therapy as a way of making herself feel better and she was stuck in a “vicious cycle”.

The court heard Ward lived with her parents and her father noticed money had been going missing from his two current accounts since October last year.

The majority had gone to the Paypal account in different amounts and had been spent in different stores while some of the cash had been withdrawn.

Mr Ward reported the incident to police on January 29 which led to Ward handing herself into Newport Central Police Station and making full admissions.

In interview, she said she had used the Paypal account and said she had done it for a number of reasons including to buy food, cigarettes, make-up and mobile broadband.

She accepted the offences in full and said she knew her father’s card details as she had written them down, and had used his card without permission.

She said she had a problem and needed help.

Mr Ward had his money returned by his bank.

District Judge Richard Williams sentenced Ward to a 12-month community order with a 12-month supervision requirement and also ordered her to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

She was also ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs.