A PROLIFIC thief was caught with counterfeit cash when he left a bundle of dodgy notes on a shop counter after he swiped a mobile phone.

Aaron Morgan, 29, who has 58 previous convictions – including 33 for theft and dishonesty offences – was jailed.

Newport Crown Court was told how the defendant from Cwmbran stole an iPhone and bank cards belonging to Alan Stone from the DJ Decoration business in the town on August 16.

Prosecutor Christopher Evans said Morgan, of Wye Court, Thornhill, then used one of those cards when shopping at the Smokers and Vapours store.

The defendant then stole a mobile phone from Cwmbran’s Village Computer and Mobile Repairs on September 5 when he was being served by Sharif Uddin.

When his back was turned, Morgan ran out of the shop with the phone but left counterfeit £20 notes on the counter and was later arrested by police.

Morgan admitted two counts of theft, fraud and having control of counterfeit currency.

Ben Waters, mitigating, said his client suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had “difficulties with class A drugs”.

His barrister said Morgan came across the counterfeit money after he was conned when selling his mountain bike for £250.

Mr Waters said he discovered they were fake when he tried to spend one of the notes in a local shop.

He added: “The defendant suffered a serious accident four years ago when he damaged ligaments at the back of his knee.

“He is at risk of amputation below the knee.”

Mr Waters urged the judge, Recorder Caroline Rees QC, not to impose an immediate prison sentence because he would not have access to the same medical treatment in jail.

But she said that Morgan’s offending was so serious that he would have to serve a custodial sentence.

The judge jailed him for a total of 10 months and a deprivation order for the counterfeit money.