A woman who found her friend dead then took her bank card and went on a spending spree just hours after finding her has been blasted as 'amoral' by a judge.
Terrilee Yates, 32, found her friend Jane Godfrey dead in her home in Swinton and reported it to the emergency services in March 2019.
Four hours later, Ms Godfrey’s Santander bank card was used to buy food at a McDonalds, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Half an hour later it was used at a Tesco supermarket in Beswick to withdraw £100 in cash, then a further £200.
Two minutes later she bought a scratch card for £14.50.
In her police interview Yates, of Cheetham Hill, claimed they were both drug users and said that they each had access to one another’s bank details and PIN numbers, according to the Manchester Evening News.
She also claimed Ms Godfrey owed her £300 and had given her permission to get the money before she died.
Yates pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud by false representation and was handed a 18 month community order.
Prosecuting, Saul Brody said on March 1, 2019, Yates and her partner went to visit her friend in Swinton at 3.18am, but sadly found her dead and reported the discovery to police.
“Paramedics attended the scene and were given contact details for both the defendant and her partner,” he said.
“The defendant then went on to make four transactions with Ms Godfrey’s bank card.
“The first was four hours after she reported it to the emergency services.”
At 7.18am, there was a transaction at McDonalds for £8.56, then at 8.04am at Tesco there was a withdrawal of £100 cash, then a minute later a withdrawal of £200.
Two minutes later there was a payment of £14.50 for scratch cards, the court heard.
“In her police interview she claimed she had the deceased’s permission to use the card and PIN number and it had been given to her prior to her death,” Mr Brody added.
Yates was said to have a number of previous convictions including dishonesty, robbery and shoplifting.
In a victim statement, Ms Godfrey's daughter Sadie Bird said she was upset by the death of her mother.
Mitigating, Thomas Worsfold said his client had a significant drug addiction at the time and has demonstrated genuine remorse.
“She indicates she was close to the victim and is very remorseful, not only for the effect it put on her, but also the breach of trust,” Mr Worsfold said.
“Addiction has underpinned the offence and has been a blight on her life for some time.”
Sentencing her, Judge Timothy Smith described the offences as ‘low, mean, dishonest and amoral’.
“It was your drug addiction and dept of addiction to drugs which has set you on to commit the offences,” he said.
“You acted in a way prompted by the overwhelming intensity of your own drug addiction to put aside any sense of common moral decency and to act in a way no right thinking member of the public would act.
“You acted in a way that was extremely disrespectful to Ms Godfrey herself.”
Yates was handed an 18 month community order, 180 hours unpaid work, 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirements and ordered to complete a 12 month drug rehabilitation programme.
