Fenland man used old receipt to take £85 trainers

A Gorefield man used an old receipt to fraudulently get a new pair of £85 Nike trainers.

Tommy Lines, 43, convinced staff at Sports Direct in King’s Lynn that he wanted to do an exchange.

“This defendant has gone in with a receipt, then picked up two boxes which are identical to the receipt description,” prosecutor Denise Holland told King's Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (14).

Lines then presented both pairs of trainers at the till, claiming that he wanted a size exchange - which was agreed. He left with one of the pairs.

Mrs Holland said the defendant had 41 convictions, mostly for acquisitive offending.

Lines, of Cattle Dyke, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation on October 26 last year.

Andrew Cogan, defending, said his client’s previous record “spoke volumes” and Lines’ “distinctive” appearance with tattoos made it easy for him to be traced when store staff checked CCTV footage.

“He accepts that he went in with a Sports Direct receipt, asks for an exchange and then walks off with the trainers.

“Had he not been caught on CCTV I expect Sports Direct would have been scratching its head as to where this pair of Nike trainers had gone,” added Mr Cogan.

Lines was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 compensation to Sports Direct.