A Norfolk woman dishonestly ordered takeaway food for well over a year at her friend's expense.
Brittany Narbett, 24, of Sandy Lane East, Dereham, admitted 14 offences of fraud by false representation at an earlier hearing at Norwich Magistrates' Court.
She was sentenced by the same court on Thursday, 21st September 2023.
Narbett asked for another 197 offences to be taken into consideration, which I shall discuss later.
Fraud by false representation is an offence under section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006. It has a maximum penalty of 26 weeks' custody and/or an unlimited fine on summary conviction; 10 years' custody and/or an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment.
Magistrates heard that victim visited Narbett on Sunday, 30th April 2021, and suggested that they order a takeaway using the Uber Eats app. He lent Narbett his bank card to use for that transaction, but the details were retained in the memory of her phone.
Between June 2021 and October 2022 she used the victim's bank card details, without his knowledge or permission, to order takeaway food on 211 further occasions. Food to the value of almost £6,000 was purchased in this manner.
Narbett's ruse was finally exposed when she disclosed her actions to a mutual friend of the victim. The victim was duly informed and reported the matter to the police.
Narbett initially denied intentionally using he victim's bank card details, saying it was an accidental oversight. However, she later changed her tune and admitted the offences.
Given the nature of the sentence imposed it would appear that mental health issues play a part in Narbett's offending. I have a healthy appetite for takeaway food, but I don't suppose even I could sustain the equivalent of 3 takeaways a week for a period of 15 months.
Narbett was sentenced to 12-month community order, with the requirement that she undertakes a 12-month mental health treatment programme and up to 20 days' rehabilitation activity.
She was also ordered to pay £5,772.80 in compensation.
Duncan Etchells, an investigator with Norfolk Constabulary, said: "Narbett had been using the victim's card details for over a year and cost him nearly £6,000.
"I am pleased that the victim will now receive this money back through compensation and hope that the measures put in place will prevent Narbett from reoffending and allow her to move forward."
Asking for offences to be taken into consideration is a good way for a defendant to "clear the decks" and not have to worry about them coming to light and being prosecuted later on. The court should impose a total sentence that reflects all the offending behaviour. The sentence must be just and proportionate and must not exceed the statutory maximum for the conviction offence.
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