card fraudster gets two years

A CREDIT card conman who struck in Retford while moving around the country has been jailed for two years.

Mark Staniforth bought a TV at Pennington’s, Carolgate, using one of a string of fraudulent credit cards, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

The 41-year-old, of no fixed address, used a variety of false names, said Sam Skinner, prosecuting.

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Judge Michael Stokes, the Recorder of Nottingham, told Staniforth: ‘You are a consummate conman and have a ready access to stolen credit cards.’

Staniforth pleaded guilty before the Worksop magistrates in August to four counts of fraud and one of theft.

He asked for 22 other offences to be taken into consideration.

The Retford offence was on August 14 last year.

Later that month, he stole £180 from the landlord of a pub in Lincolnshire. Over Christmas and New Year, he obtained more than £400 worth of food and lodgings at a pub in Evesham.

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While there, he bought a Volvo car with a fraudulent card but was traced after an attempt was made to obtain insurance for it.

“He used numerous cards and innocent people had their details stolen,” said Mr Skinner.

Staniforth had many previous convictions and had been sentenced to two years and eight months in 2006.

He eventually handed himself in at Barnsley police station.

In mitigation, it was said he was a professional chef who had held down a job in the past.

He had turned to drink and drugs but was now drug free and intended to return to London.

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