County Derry law student convicted of fraud

A 20-year-old student who used another person's card to buy drinks and pizza has been found guilty of fraud.

Meghan Corey, of Aghagaskin Road, Magherafelt, contested three counts of fraud by false representation at Magherafelt Magistrates Court this week.

The charges related to incidents on the night of August 2/3 2019 in a bar and fast food outlet in Magherafelt.

Under questioning from her defence counsel, the defendant told the court she was studying law and accountancy at Ulster University Jordanstown, and intended to become a barrister.

Corey said she had just turned 18 at the time of the incident and would normally have had access to her mother's card on nights out 'just in case'.

The defendant also told the court her then-boyfriend would have normally kept her card for her, as she 'had been known to lose it' on previous nights out.

The court was shown CCTV footage from a Magherafelt bar - LJ's Tavern - from the night in question, which showed the defendant retrieve the card from her phone case and use it to buy drinks before returning it.

Corey had initially attempted to get into Secrets nightclub, but opted for LJ's Tavern after her then-boyfriend was refused entry. He was 17 at the time.

The defendant told the court she had drunk a bottle of Echo Falls wine and some vodka before leaving the house that evening, and that she had been 'very drunk'.

Defence pointed out that the card Corey normally used at that time, her mother's, was a blue Ulster Bank card, similar in appearance to the blue Nationwide card visible on the CCTV footage from the bar.

They also noted that on the third occasion, when the card was used in Dominos Pizza, the defendant gave her real name when ordering, which they said was further evidence the fraud was unintentional.

Corey then claimed she would not have used the card had she known it was not her mother's, and that she had 'very little' recollection from the night in question.

However, prosecution pointed out that she had been able to offer an explanation under police questioning, and also raised doubts about her inability to differentiate between the two cards.

They also noted that on the CCTV footage, the defendant's then-boyfriend attempted to hand her a note the first time the card was used.

They argued this was because he was alive to the possibility that a PIN code may have been required, and that they did not have it.

Prosecution then argued that having gotten away with it once, the defendant decided to use it on two further occasions.

Summing up, defence for Corey noted her clear criminal record and good character, and that her given evidence had been in line with her police interview.

Counsel implored the judge to question why a law and accountancy student would jeopardise her future career by using her real name while committing fraud.

Prosecution concluded by drawing the judge's attention to the CCTV footage showing she was in possession of the card and had used it on three occasions.

They argued she would have known the difference between an Ulster Bank and Nationwide card, and that she had 'chanced her arm' after the first attempt to use the card was successful.

District Judge Dunlop found Corey guilty of the charges and said that on the evidence, he was satisfied she 'knew exactly what she was doing'.

He adjourned the case until December 8 in order to allow a pre-sentence report to be completed, but warned the court was not obliged to comply with its recommendations.

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