A YOUNG man has avoided jail after attempting to buy an almost £5,000 watch with a fake bank card,

Abdirahman Abdi was sentenced for fraud by false representation and possession of an article in use for fraud on Wednesday (November 22) after being caught trying to purchase an expensive watch from Beaverbrooks Jewellers in Bracknell.

The 23-year-old entered the store in The Lexicon on November 4, 2021 to pick up a £4,900 watch which had been ordered for collection online.

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However, a retail worker became suspicious when Abdi handed over a bank card which was not embossed and had too many digits on the back.

Abdi was later arrested and charged by police. He was handed a 12-month community order by Judge Amjad Nawaz at Reading Crown Court.

He was also ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work.

During sentencing, the court heard that when Abdi first attempted to pick up the watch, a retail worker had asked for order number which he did not have.

The 23-year-old left the store and returned a short while later, after about 45 minutes, with the number. He then went to pay for the watch on a fraudulent bank card.

Though the card had Abdi’s name on it, the retail worker noticed that it was not embossed and there were too many digits on the back and became suspicious.

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Abdi was forced to remain at the store until police arrested him. At first, he refused to comment and elected to bring the case to Crown Court.

However, he later pleaded guilty to the offences. He told a probation officer that he owed somebody drug debt as he had gambled the money away due to a gambling addiction.

His defence barrister said: “Everything about this offending points to a lack of sophistication and his young age.

“There’s always been a suggestion that there were others involved in this offending.”

Despite this, Judge Nawaz reprimanded Abdi, indicating that he was still aware of the offence despite his reasoning behind it.

He said: “Either way, you knew full well what you were doing – [the card] had your name on it as someone had it made for that purpose.”

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Commenting on the sentencing, he added: “A community order means you get an opportunity. It’s a question for you of whether you want to go to prison or not.”

The court heard that Abdi, of Rosamun Street, Southall Ealing, was of previous good character.