A BUNGLING thief stole a credit card from an elderly resident of the care home where she worked – then paid for takeaway food to be sent to her own address on it.

Peri Owen Dickenson, 28, of Darlington, pleaded guilty to one count of theft and four counts of fraud by false representation when she appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe.

Two months after stealing the credit card she took out three credit cards in another woman’s name, racking up bills of almost £2,000.

Prosecuting, Ansab Shan told the court that a woman had reported her mother’s card had been taken from the care home.

When police tracked the transactions, they found it had been used to order takeaways through the Just Eat website, which were delivered to Dickenson’s address in Wesley Court, Darlington.

Dickenson had previously been employed at the care home the card was stolen from, the court was told.

Mr Shan said: “Before the defendant was arrested other things were found at her property.

“There was another credit card in another woman’s name. The defendant had used this lady’s details to open three separate credit cards.”

The victim of the credit card fraud was a previous tenant of Dickenson’s property and Dickenson had used her personal details.

Dickenson was charged with stealing the M&S credit card from the care home resident before spending £20.79 on takeaway food.

She was also charged with fraud by false representation after setting up a Barclaycard credit card, a Next Directory account and a Capital One Credit card, on which she spent £929.18, £587.70 and £525.58 respectively.

Dickenson’s solicitor Andrew Clinton did not offer any mitigation as the case was adjourned so she could take part in a restorative justice programme.

The defendant will take part in the programme over the next six weeks, before her next court date on November 29 at Newton Aycliffe.

She was remanded on unconditional bail until her next court appearance.