A woman has been sentenced after using her employer’s details to fraudulently buy £1,800 worth of goods in Knaresborough.

Jessica Starling-Brayshaw, who gave her address as Brooks Lane in Middlesbrough, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday (June 4) charged with two counts of fraud.

She pleaded guilty to both charges.

Atifa Zamir, prosecuting, said Starling-Brayshaw, 45, was working as a cleaner at a named address at the time of the offences, which took place between April 22 and April 24, 2024.

The court heard that the named victim received a notification of a credit check on her from Argos to purchase a MacBook Pro and AirPods.

Starling-Brayshaw was captured on CCTV at the store in Knaresborough picking up the products, which were valued at £1,299 and £499.

The court heard that the defendant had used the named victim’s details to purchase the items.

Brian Nuttney, defending, said that Starling-Brayshaw had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He told the court that the 45-year-old was “remorseful for what has happened”.

Mr Nuttney said Starling-Brayshaw was in an abusive and coercive relationship at the time and that the products were for him to sell.

He said:

Starling-Brayshaw, who was serving a community order for a separate offence, also suffered from a drug problem at the time, Mr Nuttney said.

Magistrates decided to revoke the defendants community order and re-sentence her to a new order for the fraud offences.

She was ordered to comply with a 12-month community order, which included 15 rehabilitation activity days and 40 hours of unpaid work.

Starling-Brayshaw was also ordered to pay a victims’ surcharge of £114 and court costs of £85.