A man has been sentenced after deliberately using a stolen bank card to buy mamba, an artificial cannabinoid. Paul Anthony Smith, 57, of Sandy Lane in Mansfield, admitted to using a bank card on September 18, 2021 that was not his.
The bank card was stolen by someone else, but he used it. On May 13, 2021, Smith committed a shop theft, was found in possession of cannabis and made a false representation.
He previously pleaded guilty to these charges at Mansfield Magistrates' Court but failed to turn up to a court date for sentencing on March 31. Smith was found to be in breach of his additional discharge.
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Smith was sentenced for all offences on Saturday (April 16) at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, and received a sentence of a 12 month community order and ordered to attend 15 days of rehabilitation. His guilty pleas were taken into account.
Miss Meadows, representing Smith, said: "The defendant is living a chaotic lifestyle, and is living at his brother's address as he cannot afford the utilities on his own property. He is using mamba, and this offence was motivated to obtain funds to buy it at the time.
"The bank card was stolen by someone else, but he has admitted to using it to buy items. These have been his first offences since 2000, and he pleaded guilty at the first time of asking, and deserves full credit.
"Some things are getting out of control with drugs though. The probation service could help to give him support before it goes further the other way."
Smith is receiving income support, and was ordered to pay a total of £220 in costs, which will be deducted from that support.
