AN ADDICT, who used a fuel card to buy diesel from garages which he would sell on at half price to feed his heroin habit, has been jailed.

Dylan Shepherd, 39, of Sirhowy Walk, Blackwood, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday after previously pleading guilty to fraud by false representation.

The court heard that Shepherd borrowed the Shell card from a colleague at Feltfab Facilities Ltd, before he was made redundant in June 2016.

Prosecuting, Nuhiu Gobir said that 191 fraudulent transactions were attributed to Shepherd from Shell garages across the region, totalling £13164.36 between October and April of last year.

“The police attended the defendant’s home address on July 13, 2017,” said Mr Gobir, “He was arrested on suspicion of fraud.”

The court heard that Shepherd initially had not intended to use the card but “wanted to get back at the company”, particularly after he was evicted from his home.

“It was a means to an end,” said Mr Gobir, “He obtained diesel to sell on at half price to fund his drug habit.

“Each time he would fill the van with diesel, he would pretend to fill one can but position himself to fill three jerry cans.”

Defending, Matthew Roberts said that Shepherd had been upfront with the police following his arrest.

He added that the defendant had a “tragic addiction” to class A drugs – namely heroin – but was sorry.

“He was indeed selling off fuel to fund a prolific habit,” he said, “The defendant, through me, apologises.”

Concluding, Judge Stephen Hopkins QC said: “You would use the card to obtain diesel, which you then sold on at half price

“You committed fraud after fraud after fraud.”

Shepherd was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and will be released midway through his term on licence.