Molock
08-07-2002, 08:39 PM
Now if only the thief would share his handicapping secret...
Debit card victim wins against odds
By Robin Young
A WOMAN whose debit card was stolen found herself in profit when she checked her bank balance — because the thief had used it to bet on the horses and his winnings were paid directly into her account.
Jacqueline Boanson was described in court yesterday as “the happiest victim of theft ever”. Magistrates at Cheltenham were told that after her card was stolen she looked at her bank statement, and found that the balance had gone up by £291.40.
The money had been paid into her account by Ladbrokes as Andrew Cameron’s winnings from two £50 bets on horse races.
Cameron, of Cheltenham, admitted stealing Mrs Boanson’s card from the communal post at the block of flats where she lived.
His solicitor, Howard Ogden, told the court: “The horses won but, instead of paying my client the cash, Ladbrokes paid the winnings into her account. It was only when she inquired at Ladbrokes that they discovered how the money had been credited to her. Andy Cameron did her proud and she must be the happiest victim that we ever had in this court.”
In fact, Mrs Boanson had inadvertently placed that punter’s dream: a no-risk bet, as Sean Boyce of Ladbrokes explained: “If the bets placed on a stolen debit card had been losing ones they would have been voided and the stake money would have been returned, but in these exceptional circumstances it would seem a bit churlish to deprive Mrs Boanson of her winnings.
“Cameron was on a hiding to nothing, because he would have needed complete ID matching the card to get paid in cash.”
Cameron, who pleaded guilty to stealing the card and obtaining the two bets by deception, was placed on probation for 12 months.
Debit card victim wins against odds
By Robin Young
A WOMAN whose debit card was stolen found herself in profit when she checked her bank balance — because the thief had used it to bet on the horses and his winnings were paid directly into her account.
Jacqueline Boanson was described in court yesterday as “the happiest victim of theft ever”. Magistrates at Cheltenham were told that after her card was stolen she looked at her bank statement, and found that the balance had gone up by £291.40.
The money had been paid into her account by Ladbrokes as Andrew Cameron’s winnings from two £50 bets on horse races.
Cameron, of Cheltenham, admitted stealing Mrs Boanson’s card from the communal post at the block of flats where she lived.
His solicitor, Howard Ogden, told the court: “The horses won but, instead of paying my client the cash, Ladbrokes paid the winnings into her account. It was only when she inquired at Ladbrokes that they discovered how the money had been credited to her. Andy Cameron did her proud and she must be the happiest victim that we ever had in this court.”
In fact, Mrs Boanson had inadvertently placed that punter’s dream: a no-risk bet, as Sean Boyce of Ladbrokes explained: “If the bets placed on a stolen debit card had been losing ones they would have been voided and the stake money would have been returned, but in these exceptional circumstances it would seem a bit churlish to deprive Mrs Boanson of her winnings.
“Cameron was on a hiding to nothing, because he would have needed complete ID matching the card to get paid in cash.”
Cameron, who pleaded guilty to stealing the card and obtaining the two bets by deception, was placed on probation for 12 months.