Five spared jail over £46,000 con

Three men and two women who took part in a £46,000 con nearly three years ago have walked free from court because they have changed their lifestyles.

They admitted charges of theft and fraud, mainly targeting hire firms in the Midlands for heavy equipment used in the building trade. Sometimes equipment was hired and never returned. On other occasions, it was paid for with forged cheques or cheques which bounced. Bills for hotels, fuel and vehicle servicing were also left unpaid.

There were sighs of relief from the dock at Worcester Crown Court when Recorder David Tucker said none of the five accused would be going to jail immediately because they had changed their ways and the sentence had been hanging over them for two years.

Stuart Bradley, aged 33, of St John's Road, Stourport, was given a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work. He admitted 14 charges. His wife Lisa, 25, of the same address, was given a three-month sentence suspended for two years and ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work. She admitted three charges.

David Hodgkins, aged 26, of Elmley Close, Kidderminster, was jailed for 12 months suspended for two years and ordered to do 300 hours unpaid work after pleading guilty to eight charges.

Matthew Walker, aged 22, of Larford Walk, Stourport, was given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years and ordered to do 300 hours unpaid work. He admitted 38 charges. Kate Evans, 18, of the same address, was given six months jail suspended for two years with 150 hours unpaid work. She admitted seven charges. She will also be supervised by the probation service for 12 months. The three men were each ordered to pay £200 costs.

Miss Abigail Nixon, for the Bradleys, said they were married in 2006 and their life had changed. Mr Michael Aspinall, for Walker, said he had now settled down with Evans and they had a child. Miss Cathlyn Orchard, for Evans, said she had been emotionally vulnerable at the time. Hodgkins now has a job.