Daughter racked up huge bill after stealing her mum’s card

Sophie Hird, 21, pleaded guilty at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 21st May.

The court heard that her mum Caroline suspected her daughter had stole her Barclays card and her been drawing money out of her account.

Acting on her suspicions, she decided to call Barclays to request a statement as she had not had one for a while.

It was found that Hird had racked up a bill totalling over £1,500 between 1st October 2014 and 31st March 2015.

Hird was confronted by her mum, who asked if she knew anything about it, and she admitted the theft.

She said that the card arrived in the post and she took it without her mum’s permission.

Hird, of Ordsall, Retford, said she used it to buy fuel and she used it on a daily basis.

In mitigation, Hird, who was representing herself, said that she would pay the full amount back to her mum.

She said: “I am not going to do it again and I am sorry.”

“I do not know why I did it.”

Hird, who is 20-weeks pregnant, said that she still lives at home with her mum but is in the process of moving out.

A probation report was prepared and read out in court for Hird.

It said: “She has accepted responsibility.”

“She had been struggling with money and has not had a bank account since she was 18.”

“She started taking more than she was planning.”

“It is a breach of trust and she knows that.”

“She is very remorseful.”

“She stated that she has not been in trouble before and will repay the money in full to her mother.”

The magistrates fined her £110 and she was ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge and £50 costs.