A MAN who fraudulently used bank cards that were stolen in a house burglary hours earlier has been ordered to complete unpaid work.

Joshua Leese used the two cards, which had been stolen during a sneak burglary at a property in Grappenhall hours earlier, to buy goods in the early hours of Thursday, November 3.

The 21-year-old made a number of contactless payments using the cards up to the £30 value allowed via this method.

He was ordered to complete a two-year community order, a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 150 hours of unpaid work after admitting two counts of dishonestly obtaining goods on Wednesday, May 10.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Leese, of the Verve, Mersey Street, had spent much of his childhood in care and struggled with drug problems.

Sentencing, his honour judge Denis Watson said: “For someone who is relatively young you have a dreadful record, for the most part relating to burglaries and other matters of dishonesty.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that for these offences, given your record, a community order is appropriate.

“Let me spell it out for you – if you comply with this order and do not commit any other offences you won’t hear any more about this.

“If you commit more offences or if you breach this order you could be resentenced and prison time will follow.”