Man who claimed he was given stolen bank cards at a party used them to buy food and taxi fares, Craigavon court hears
A Co Armagh man, who claimed he was given stolen bank cards at a party, has been given a jail sentence.
Jamie Geddis, of from Ailsbury Park, Lurgan appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court via video link from Maghaberry Prison charged with three counts of fraud by false representation.
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The court heard that on Sunday, January 14 last year, the injured party said she had left her car at around 10am the previous day and returned to it at 8.30am the next day. She noticed the driver’s door open and the car had been ‘rummaged through’.
"There were items of paper taken from a glove box and the car seats were pushed forward. She noticed a purse from which two bank card were taken," said the prosecutor, adding the victim had noted three fraudulent transactions on her bank account in the early hours of that morning.
They included a contactless payment for £35.35 worth of food from Bridge Street Filling Station, Portadown plus two transactions of £10 and £20 to Fonacab.
Police did CCTV checks at Bridge Street Filling Station and were able to identify the defendant.
Geddis told police he had been given the cards at a house party and didn’t know they were stolen, the court heard.
Geddis’ barrister Mr Conor Coulter said he had pleaded guilty on the day of contest however his circumstances have changed “significantly”. The defendant was refused bail by the High Court recently. “I understand he faces a considerable period in custody,” said Mr Coulter, adding that Geddis recently became a father.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said he noted Geddis’ last offence was March 2024. Referring to Mr Coulter’s assertion that Geddis claimed he had not been told about Probation meetings in Maghaberry Prison, the district judge said: “I think Mr Geddis is saying effectively that a prison officer has lied around the pre-sentence report. I don’t think that’s really what’s happened. At best it was a breakdown in communication.”
"Your record is a poor one. You have 145 convictions. That includes 13 thefts,” said the district judge.
He sentenced Geddis to two months in jail for each of the three charges – to run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay the £25 offender levy.