Night shelter user defrauds it out of £6,000

Invoices and voice recordings from a taxi company were supplied to police

A man who defrauded a charity out of more than £6,000 has been given a 16-month suspended jail sentence.

Police said Nathan King, 40, booked a "staggering" number of taxi journeys and billed them to Jimmy's night shelter in Cambridge, which had previously supported him.

King, of Birdwood Road in Cambridge, fraudulently used the charity's charge code and an employee's name for the journeys between February and May.

He pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and breach of a suspended sentence order at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday.

Det Con Luca Bellomo said: "King booked a staggering and excessive number of journeys over a four-month period.

"The shelter is a vital lifeline for people living on the street and provides food, shelter and support for thousands of people across the city, including King himself.

"We take cases of fraud extremely seriously and will do our utmost to bring offenders before the courts and work with partner agencies to recoup losses for companies, charities and individuals."