A MAN has been handed a suspended jail sentence for committing fraud across the county including in Weymouth and Dorchester.

Mihai Viteazu, aged 22, was convicted of four charges of fraud, one charge of possessing criminal property and one charge of possessing an article to use in the course or in connection with fraud when he appeared at Weymouth Magistrates Court earlier this month.

Recorder Peter Fraser sentenced Viteazu to an 11-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and a community order of 300 hours of unpaid work when he appeared at Dorchester Crown Court yesterday.

Prosecutor Jason Spellman told the court how Viteazu, who is Romanian and now living in Croydon, committed the offences on May 4 this year by using a credit card registered to an elderly man in America.

Mr Spellman said the card was used to purchase £867 worth of goods from Argos in Poole, £1,229.95 worth of goods from Argos in Dorchester, £1,200 worth of goods from Argos in Weymouth and a pushchair worth £350 from Mothercare in Weymouth.

He said: “Mr Viteazu was arrested and interviewed where he made admissions to all four transactions.

“The total figure amounts to £3,646.94.”

In mitigation, Tim Hammond said: “Mr Viteazu is a man who has got a partner and his partner has just given birth to a little boy.

“He was given the card to provide for his new arrival.

“He understands that is no excuse but given the arrival of his baby he realises he cannot continue to support his family in this fashion.”

Mr Hammond added: “He has had a taste of custody and unsurprisingly he says he didn’t like it. The deterrent is there – he doesn’t want to go back.”