Bassetlaw man stole wife’s bank card and spent £9 in working men’s club

Joao Goncalves stole the card and keys from her home before using it in Tuxford Working Men's Club, on September 24, said prosecutor Annelli Pritchard.

He also assaulted her when he pulled her arm, she added.

Derek Brown, mitigating, said: "He has lost his family and his good character. He accepts the relationship is over.

"He has moved to Aberdeen. He has gone to start afresh. He is working as a chef.

"He has been very forthcoming with the police. The assault involved him pulling her back out of desperation.

"Do we really want to punish a man in such an intense way when he has lost such a lot? This offending is way below the level that would warrant imprisonment."

Concalves, aged 32, now of Whinhill Gate, Aberdeen, but formerly of Tuxford, admitted fraud by false representation, assault by beating, and theft, when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates Court, on Wednesday.

District judge Sunil Khanna told him he would normally consider a community-based penalty but that option isn’t available as Concalves now lives in Scotland

He fined the defendant £115 for the fraud and £115 for the assault with no separate penalty for the theft.

He ordered him to pay £9 compensation, with a £92 surcharge and £85 costs, making a total of £416.

Imposing a one-year restraining order, the district judge told him: “You have now lost your good character but hopefully you can make a fresh start in Scotland.”