A worker on one of the rides at The Hoppings stole a woman's purse while her back was turned. The woman was at the famous fair on Newcastle's Town Moor on June 26 this year and went to pay for a ride.
Newcastle Crown Court heard she left her purse on a pram she had with her and when she returned, the purse, which contained her bank card and £10 cash, had gone. It had been snatched by thief Paul Dees.
Banking app alert
The victim got a notification from her banking app that an attempt had been made to use her bank card to buy food from a vendor at the fair for £4. The woman attended the stall and was told a man had tried to buy food using her card so she reported it to security.
Her purse had been handed into security by Dees, minus the bank card and cash. Police said they would check CCTV and security staff recognised Dees as the perpetrator because he worked on one of the rides.
Guilty plea
When collared, he asked if they would let him go if he told them where the card was but it wasn't in a bin where he claimed it would be.
Dees, 35, of Whitworth Place, Walker, Newcastle, who has 52 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to theft and fraud by false representation. He was already on a community order imposed last May for racially aggravated harassment.
Sentence
Penny Hall, defending, said Dees "would welcome the opportunity to continue working with probation".
Dees was fined £140 and must pay the victim £10 compensation.
