Liverpool man jailed after Wrexham bank card fraud

Ion Ghinea, of Redbrook Street in Liverpool, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced.

The 40-year-old had previously admitted one count of conspiracy to defraud in that he conspired with others intending to dishonestly make a gain for himself or others by making a false representation to another person in Wrexham.

Emmalyne Downing, prosecuting, told the court that the victim in the case is a vulnerable woman in her late 80s.

READ MORE: Couple fined after takeaway parking argument erupted into "standoff"

On February 23 this year, the victim was at her home when she received a text on her phone purporting to be from HSBC.

It referred to a pending transaction and asked her to reply to confirm the transaction - but having made no such transaction, she called the number and was met with a voice recording claiming to be the HSBC fraud department.

Eventually she got through to a man who asked her a number of security questions, one of which was the first line of her address.

The man on the phone claimed to have blocked the victim's card and said he'd sent a new one out.

When the woman told him she'd destroy her old card, the man told her not to - instructing her instead to put it in an envelope, write the pin on the envelope and then put it under her doormat for collection.

A car pulled up at her address and a man whom she had been told by the individual on the phone was to be trusted collected her card and pin number.

She received a text saying the card would be disposed of, but the following day she received a call from a real HSBC representative asking about suspicious activity on her account.

Ion Ghinea (North Wales Police) (Image: NWP)

Multiple transactions had been carried out, with a total of £4,817 being successfully debited from her account.

The successful transactions had been carried out at stores including Apple and Currys, but some were declined.

In total, attempts to take £9,650.50 had been undertaken.

The defendant was tracked down through CCTV enquiries at the sites of the card transactions.

The victim, in a statement read to the court, said the offence had knocked her confidence and left her feeling vulnerable.

READ MORE: Repeat Wrexham shoplifter banned by Judge from all Co-Op stores in England and Wales

Thankfully, Ms Downing said, she has been reimbursed for the money taken by her credit card company.

Andrew Green, defending, said: "Mr Ghinea has provided a letter to the court; most importantly it reflects his very deep remorse for what he has done, and the sense of desperation he felt at this point in his life.

"The family at the time were relying on foodbanks ad Mr Ghinea says he was approached by someone who offered him a modest amount of money to commit this offence.

"That doesn't excuse what he did and he sets out he is sorry and ashamed.

"He understands this is a very serious offence; it is a mean offence against a vulnerable elderly lady and he understands he faces a prison sentence."

Judge Niclas Parry told the defendant: "This was a despicable offence - what was taken from her was used repeatedly in an attempt to gain nearly £10,000.

"Banking fraud and identity theft is becoming a matter of increased concern."

Ghinea was jailed for 14 months.