Woman spent thousands with former partner's children's bank details

Lisamarie Bashford kept using the card for a year

A woman who used the bank details of her former boyfriend's children to make 459 purchases on Amazon has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Lisamarie Bashforth, 38, spent more than £6,400 on items including appliances, food, books and DVDs between August 2015 and August 2016.

Douglas Courthouse heard her relationship with her ex had broken down before she spent the money.

Deemster Graeme Cook said it was a "particularly mean offence".

He jailed Bashforth for 22 months but agreed to suspend the sentence for two years.

She was also handed a two-year supervision order.

'Selfish desires'

The court was told Bashforth, of Douglas, had moved into the man's home in 2012, but the relationship had broken down shortly afterwards and she had moved out.

During a search of her Clarke Street home in connection with an unrelated matter in December 2020, police found a purple notebook with the children's bank card details written in it.

Subsequent investigations revealed she had used them to buy things on Amazon and she was arrested in February 2021.

The court heard Bashforth did not have an ongoing relationship with the children, who were aged 15 and 18 at the time the money was spent, or their father.

Although she initially claimed the items had been gifts, she later admitted to theft.

The prosecution said although she spent the money for her "own selfish desires", it had not been used to fund a lavish lifestyle.

She was order to pay back £519 in compensation to the victims, as the bank had already refunded the rest of the money.

Deemster Cook also warned Bashford she may face a civil claim from the bank to recover those funds.