Woman Used Dud Cheque When “egged on” By Friends

LORNA Bird tried to pay for �90 worth of take-away pizza with a cheque that she knew would bounce, magistrates were told.

Her bank account was empty and had been closed - but she still handed over a cheque to staff of Pizza Town in Littleport.

“This was a combination of dishonesty, stupidity and gullibility,” her solicitor Michael Judkins explained at Ely courthouse.

“It was put to her that she could order pizza and see if it as possible to get away by paying with a cheque that would not be honoured.

“She had a handbag with an old chequebook in it, and tendered a cheque in payment; she was egged on my friends. She feels ashamed and sorry now.”

Bird, 20, of St Andrew’s Close, Sutton, admitted a charge of fraud. She had earlier been offered a conditional caution, but failed to pay the �90 compensation in time to keep herself out of court.

She was ordered to perform 40 hours of unpaid work and pay �90 compensation and �85 costs.