A MAN who admitted £14,000-worth of fraud - including taking more than £2,000 from a Gwent hospital radio station - has been handed a suspended sentence.

Liam Pearce, aged 23, of Heol Hamelin, Abergavenny, admitted and was convicted of nine counts of fraud in front of Gwent magistrates on October 1 this year, amounting to £14,482.67.

Appearing for sentencing at Newport Crown Court yesterday, prosecutor John Ryan said the offences start in January this year when a man went into Lloyds Bank, Abergavenny, with a £6,006 cheque made out to Liam Pearce.

The account holder James Jones was contacted by bank staff who said the cheque had been stolen and he hadn't made it out to Pearce.

On February 23 a person claiming to be a woman named Alison Hickman accessed an account on the website Very.co.uk and ordered a £399 laptop before placing another two orders for laptops, which were declined.

The delivery address was for Pearce's home address in the name of A Reynolds, who did not exist. Mrs Hickman said she did not order the laptops.

The next day on the website isme.co.uk, someone claiming to be Mrs Hickman ordered a £1,899 nine-carat gold diamond ring, a £329 laptop and a £95 phone.

The order was rejected but the address given was that of Pearce's girlfriend Stephanie Skinner. Pearce used the name Stephanie Reynolds, which did not exist.

The same day an order under Mrs Hickman's name was made to Woolworth's for a £279 laptop, a £95 phone and jewellery worth £1,099, again addressed to A Reynolds but the order was rejected.

Another order was made on the Littlewood's website for a £119 phone, £299 television and £529-worth of jewellery. All orders failed to go through, the court heard.

On May 23, Pamela Parry, manager of Nevill Hall Hospital's Sound radio station went to the bank expecting to find more than £3,000 in the station's account, but found only £900.

The court heard how Pearce was the only person, apart from named signatories, who'd had access to the account card details, having previously bought software with Ms Parry's permission.

He had then used the card at a pawn shop to spend between £2,100 and £2,755.67, the court heard. It was not said whether the money was recovered.

Three charges of fraud by Pearce were reported by Alan Chislett, who called police on June 6 this year after someone opened accounts in his name at Lloyds Bank, Ffrees Finance and NatWest.

He said Pearce had gone to his home on May 28 and 30 out of the blue.

Three other fraud matters were asked to be considered by Judge Philip Richards, namely three counts of fraud by false representation against Martin Hickman in which Pearce opened bank accounts in his name.

The court heard Pearce had been sentenced separately on August 14 this year for burglary at Nevill Hall hospital in which he admitted stealing a computer.

He was traced using DNA evidence and received a community order and 120 hours' unpaid work.

The court heard Pearce made full admissions to police and was "deeply and profoundly remorseful, embarrassed and ashamed".

Judge Richards sentenced him to 16 weeks' imprisonment suspended for 12 months. His community order will continue and he'll be under supervision for 12 months. He must pay £340 costs and £80 victim surcharge.