A man who went on the run after being caught using fake currency in stores across County Durham has been jailed.
Kevin Stokes was one of three men who were seen using counterfeit Scottish £20 notes at shops including a Sainsbury's, a fish and chip shop and a general store in October 2020. The 22-year-old was using the fake notes to buy cheap items in order to receive legitimate change. After Stokes was caught, he was due to appear for sentence in March last year, but failed to show up and instead went on the run for months.
This week, Stokes, formerly of Hawthorn Crescent, Horden, was finally brought to justice after appearing at Durham Crown Court via link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for three counts of possessing counterfeit money and failing to surrender. He committed the offences while serving a suspended sentence which was imposed in Northern Ireland, and could not be activated in England.
