A TIRED thief who a took a car without permission and committed a series of frauds using a stolen bank card slept it off in the dock.

Jonathan Cartwright, who at one stage appeared to be fast asleep as he lay sprawled across the seats in the dock, admitted a string of offences including taking a car in Malvern without the owner's consent when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Thursday.

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While magistrates were out considering sentence, the 39-year-old lay across the seats and, when asked to stand by magistrates, promptly asked if he could sit down again.

He had admitted taking a Vauxhall Astra from Malvern on April 8 this year, five frauds by false representation in Stourbridge on the same date involving stolen bank cards, using them to buy goods for himself. He further accepted that, when he drove that Astra, he had no insurance and was driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Cartwright also admitted theft from a car of a tyre replacement kit on the same date.

Magistrates said the matter had crossed the custody threshold but they were prepared to suspend the sentence.

They sentenced Cartwright of Victoria Street, Brierley Hill, to 12 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and banned him from driving for six months.

He was also ordered to pay £50 court costs and a victim surcharge of £128. The defendant was also ordered to pay £26 in compensation.

The debt will be deducted at a rate of £20 per month from Cartwright's Universal Credit.