Two men who defrauded a string of shops run by a family business out of close to £14,000 have been sentenced to a total of two years and four months in jail.

Norwich Evening News: Malaki Morgan, was sentenced for his role in fraud against Roys of Wroxham. Picture: Norfolk ConstabularyMalaki Morgan, was sentenced for his role in fraud against Roys of Wroxham. Picture: Norfolk Constabulary (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Over a period of months in 2016, Malaki Morgan and Elijah Adeoye targeted Roys of Wroxham stores throughout Norfolk in what was called a 'sophisticated' fraud.

Prosecutor Dan Taylor told King's Lynn Crown Court today that the nature of the fraud had not been fully understood but that it involved the pair paying for items using a credit card which only needed a signature and no pin number.

Morgan, who is currently serving a seven-and-a-half year extended sentence for an attack on a woman in Norwich in April last year, had earlier pleaded guilty to 15 counts of fraud totalling £11,157.

The 31-year-old, who appeared in court via video link, has 13 previous convictions for 21 offences, including rape, for which he served six-and-half-years.

Adeoye, 32 and of Uckfield Road in Enfield, pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud, totally £2,737.

Judge Justin Rouse called the crime spree 'sophisticated' in nature and said it was 'significantly planned and persisted over a period of time'.

He sentenced Morgan to 19 months in jail, cut by five months following a guilty plea, to be served consecutively to his current sentence.

Adeoye, who attended court, was sentenced to 36 weeks. Both were ordered to serve up to half of their sentence in jail.

In mitigation for Morgan, Mark Roochove said his client accepted his wrong doing and had been completing courses while in prison.

He added: 'The reason for him committing these offences boiled down to finance. He was a hard working man, a labourer. He injured his hand and he could not work.'

Adeoye, who has a fiancé and children, was said to be affected by finance and 'simply got caught up in the offences he committed'.

His barrister said he regretted his actions.

During a visit to a Roys store, a member of staff rumbled the pair for their suspicious behaviour.

As they paid for various items totalling £406, the court heard how they asked the cashier about the best places to go clubbing and commented on her perfume.

A member of staff called the police but the pair had gone before they arrived. Both were arrested at the Hoveton store.