Weeds shoot up between cracks in crooked paving stones strewn with broken glass. Beneath the afternoon sun, rusting signs hang forlornly above shops long since abandoned.
09.03.2022 - 23:07 / dailyrecord.co.uk
A married couple used stolen Tesco stamps to splurge £48,000 on shopping sprees and gift cards.
The pair used the discount stamps to buy gift vouchers for sites including Amazon and Halfords, even purchasing Visa E cards to go towards a holiday to Corfu, Manchester Evening News reports.
Steven Plummer, from Bury, was employed at disposal company Weeshred when he realised that the supermarket giant had been throwing away cards with saver stamps stuck on.
The 50-year-old started picking up the cards to take home where he would steam off unused stickers to spend in store, Manchester Crown Court heard.
The court was told that between the period of 7th June 2018 and 3rd September 2019, Steven had spent a total of £24,891.49 at various stores and between 31st July 2018 and 1st September 2019, partner Jamie-Lee had spent £23,135 - totalling £48,026.49.
They also shared some of the gift cards with family and friends, who were unaware where how the gift cards had been purchased, and an additional total of £4,821 was spent.
Steven had given some of the stamps to Jamie-Lee, who had had retired from work and suffered from various disabilities. She spent the vouchers as an activity to ‘fill her day’, the court was told.
Prosecuting, Ms Victoria Lewis said that the cards could be spent once they had reached their maximum number of stamps, worth £1 each. On occasion, as many as 11 of the cards were used in one transaction.
The pair were eventually caught out when the supermarket giant noticed a spike in the use of the vouchers and identified them through their Tesco Clubcards they had used alongside the purchases.
Police found gift cards and receipts linked to the offending when they searched their home on Holme Avenue.
Ms Lewis said: “In
Weeds shoot up between cracks in crooked paving stones strewn with broken glass. Beneath the afternoon sun, rusting signs hang forlornly above shops long since abandoned.
With the cost of living continuing to soar, many of us are looking for ways to cut back on spending - especially when it comes to the weekly food shop.
Sitting back and watching an ever changing-landscape through the window is one of the things which makes a good train journey so magical. And - as they say - it’s about the journey, not just the destination.
A bookkeeper defrauded her employer out of nearly £70,000 using fake invoices over four years. Gillian Wilde, 58, had worked for DXG Media since 2001, but began withdrawing funds from the company account and placing them into her personal account.
Cheeky thieves have stolen a crucial letter from a cricket club's new sign - leaving it saying something very rude.
Sally Hatton has a rare condition that leaves her in constant pain each day. It affects almost all aspects of her life, but her illness may not always be apparent.
Locals reported hearing a 'huge bang' as a stolen car smashed into three vehicles in a police chase.
Having a private plane all to yourself is something most of us can only dream of. Yet one lucky couple from Wythenshawe found themselves experiencing just that, when they were the only passengers flying from Corfu to Manchester.
Two people have been arrested after allegedly ramming police with a suspected stolen car.
DEALSSongwriter and producer Tainy has sold his pre-2021 catalogue to Influence Media for a reported $25 million. “Tainy has redefined the sound and the future of Latin music”, says Influence Media’s Rene McLean.
It was Main Street meets Coronation Street, a little slice of America on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal.
Environmental campaigners have criticised Manchester City for encouraging supporters to dump used plastic bottles in recycling bins - in return for air miles.
A granddad who was fined three months after parking in Bury has slammed the “ridiculous” penalty notice.
A husband and wife duo used stolen Tesco stamps before ramping up spends of over £48,000 on shopping and gift cards.
Pep Guardiola has faced Manchester United on two occasions in the Premier League this season and each time, he's provided a tactical masterclass. When the two sides met in November, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the charge of the Reds and to ensure his team remained defensively resolute, he opted for a back three system.
Love Island pair Dom Lever and Jessica Shears found love while appearing on the reality show in 2017 and the congratulations have been pouring in after the couple revealed they're expecting their second child.