A woman has been given ‘one last chance’ to comply with probation before she is sentenced for using someone else’s bank card.
Regina Horvathova, 48, was brought before Bolton Crown Court after spending money with a bank card that did not belong to her and handling stolen goods including a Mercedes.
But she could not be sentenced for her crimes because her failure to work with probation meant there was no report on her ready for the court.
Judge Eliot Knopf said: “I see what’s been said and I give her one last chance to comply with the process and if she doesn’t she will face the consequences for that.”
He added: “She needs to understand that she has to be dealt with seriously and she will be.”
The prosecution was represented by Emmanuel Coniah.
The court heard how Horvathova, who spoke through a Slovakian interpreter, was convicted of four counts of fraud by false representation along with two counts of handling stolen goods on November 7 last year.
She used the card twice to top up her mobile phone sim card by £20, to buy goods worth just over £32 at a best one store and to spend another £20 at a Ladbrokes store on August 1 2021.
The stolen Mercedes belonged to the same couple as the stolen NatWest bank card.
Since then she had pleaded guilty to her crimes at the magistrates court but had failed to engage as ordered with the probation service.
But Kevin Lister, defending, argued that though he and Horvathova, of Hallliwell Road, Farnworth, both accepted how serious her actions were, it would be very difficult to come to a proper statement without a report.
Judge Knopf agreed to delay Horvathova’s sentence but warned her that he would be reserving the case to himself and would not be prepared to make any further delays next time.
He said: “If there’s no report available then my options will be severely limited, but no more excuses.”
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Turning to address the defendant, he added: “Let there be no more excuses, if there’s no report next time I will sentence you.
“All options will be open, including custody.”
Judge Knopf set the date for the next hearing for Monday February 27 this year.
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