Dungannon mother to pay restitution for pay-day loan scam

The court heard how a man gave his girlfriend’s sister permission to take out a payday loan on wonga.com using his name and account on March 26, 2013.

This woman went to the home of Sheena Campbell, 27, at Cloneen Avenue in Dungannon, to use her computer and seek her assistance.

She had taken the man’s bank account number and log on details to use in order to take £230 from the payday loan company.

When she had completed the transaction she left the house, leaving the man’s bank details at the house.

It was only some time later when he tried unsuccessfully to make another purchase online that the man realised that more money had been taken from a cashgenieloans.co.uk account in his name.

Ms Campbell’s laptop and phone were subsequently seized by police following a complaint.

Under interview the defendant told the police that she believed that she had permission of the man to apply for the loan.

A voice recording was also played to the defendant which Ms Campbell soon admitted was hers.

Mr Jarlath Faloon, defending, told the court that his client - a mother with five children between the age of nine and 14 months - claimed the money that had been obtained during the incident was used by another person.

He asked the judge not to impose a period of imprisonment in view of Ms Campbell’s record and her desire to make restitution for the money taken from cashgenieloans.co.uk.

District Judge John Meehan admitted that it was a “peculiar case”.

“This person handed out his details to allow this woman to impersonate him.

“Having embarked on this highly questionable behaviour there is then an argument as to who was in the room at the time when the money is obtained from the payday loan company.”

However, given the “element of enticement and encouragment” he felt that he could only impose a conditional discharge of 12 months, adding the warning that should Ms Campbell return to court in that period the court could take a different view to the offence.

He also ordered that a restitution order of £230 be made in favour of cashgenieloans.co.uk.