Court

A north Norwich mother has apologised after going on a shopping spree with a dead friend’s bank card.

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A north Norwich mother has apologised after going on a shopping spree with a dead friend’s bank card.

Jennifer Dagless discovered her friend dead at his home last month – before using his account to buy goods while drunk.

Speaking to the Evening News yesterday, the 31-year-old asked for forgiveness for having spent her late friend’s Jonathan Wilde’s money, and described herself as “destroyed” at his death.

“I’m so sorry at what happened,” she said.

“Jon was like a father to me, and was such a kind and loving person.

“He used to take care of me, and I was always there for him when no one else was.”

Dagless, of Bull Close Road, said she had not been thinking clearly when Mr Wilde died on May 19, because she was distressed by family worries and had been drinking heavily.

“I was very, very drunk, so I never took notice of what card I was using. I had been drinking a lot,” she said.

She visited Chapelfield shopping centre in Norwich the next day, buying goods in perfume and sports shops, and withdrew £20 from a cash machine.

Dagless pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation dating to May 20 when she appeared at Norwich Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

She was given a 12-month conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £43.98 in compensation.

Prosecutor Lisa Britton said Dagless and Mr Wilde, who was 58, had been close.

She said: “She was friends with the gentleman and would go to his house and drink with him, occasionally running a few errands for him.

“She saw him on May 18, left and when she returned the following day she found him deceased.

“This is when, we say, she took his bank card before phoning for an ambulance.”

It wasn’t until the Mr Wilde’s bank statement arrived that his son noticed the money was missing from the account.

“He contacted the police, and the offences were discovered,” said Miss Britton.

In interview, Dagless said she been to get cash out for her friend in the past, but admitted that she was not allowed to do so without his permission and that he had not owed her any money at the time of his death.

Liz Blenkinsop, mitigating for Dagless, said her client had been sober for several years, but had “fallen off the wagon” because of family worries.

“This is not something she set out to do,” she said, adding that Dagless was “very ashamed” and had co-operated with police throughout.

She said the two had been friends for 16 years and Dagless was helping Mr Wilde with his own struggles with alcohol.

“Never while he was alive did she take advantage or take anything from him,” said Miss Blenkinsop.

“She does recognise how bad this is and how she has messed up here, and she’s really very sorry for that.”

Dagless added last night: “He wrote me a poem once because of what I’d been through in my life. He was there for me more than my family.”