Man fined and ordered to pay costs following fraud offences in Ipswich

He'd been using someone else's bank card

Author: Sharon PlummerPublished 25th Jan 2021

A 22-year-old man has been fined and ordered to pay costs after committing fraud offences in Ipswich.

Anthony Portaluri, of Clarkson Street, appeared before Ipswich magistrates' Court on Friday 15 January, after being summonsed in December.

He was charged with three counts of fraud by false representation following three incidents in June last year.

The victim, a woman, aged in her 40s, paid for petrol with her bank card at Shell in London Road on Thursday 25 June 2020 within the kiosk.

At approximately 1.40am the following day, the woman was notified by her online banking app that her bank card had been used at Applegreen service station in Woodbridge Road East, and then again shortly before 1.50am at Best Kebab, and a further time shortly after 1.50am at Hawk Express, Ipswich.

An investigation was carried out by officers from the Operation Shere team, and a man was arrested on Wednesday 22 July 2020.

He was questioned at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre and was later released under investigation pending further enquiries.

In court Portaluri was fined ÂŁ138 and ordered to pay court costs of ÂŁ105.

He was also ordered to pay ÂŁ57.85 in compensation and a ÂŁ34 victim surcharge.

PC Richard Ford of the Op Shere Team said:

"Incidents such as this cause a great deal of inconvenience to the victim. They leave them at a financial loss and take up their time to report the matter. I hope that bringing matters like this before the court will show that Suffolk police will endeavour to find those responsible."

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.