"Crime after crime" asylum seeker who used stolen bank card at Portsmouth casino is jailed

Omar Osman, 22, of St Faiths Road, Landport, admitted a charge of fraud at Portsmouth Crown Court.

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Osman travelled to the UK when he was 16 in what was described as a “sad tale” before recently committing “crime after crime”.

The court heard how Osman profited from a stolen bank card taken in a burglary on November 2. A number of items were taken including a purse with the debit card inside it.

When the victim called his bank in the morning to cancel the card after discovering his house had been burgled, he was told transactions had already been made overnight at Admiral Casino in Commercial Road.

Three men were seen on CCTV approaching a machine to buy tickets for a gambling machine - with Osman later identified as one of the men. “Mr Osman made two £100 transactions before a further attempt was unsuccessful,” prosecutor Matthew Parris said. A further four attempts to withdraw £250 were unsuccessful.

After Osman was identified by police he was arrested. He was under post supervision requirement after being released from prison at the time of the offence.

Daniel Reilly, defending, said: “(Osman) travelled to the UK when he was 16. It took him a year to get here. He is supported here by children’s services.”

The court heard Osman had seven offences to his name in the UK and had committed thefts in August and January which he had been given four weeks in jail for both offences. The defendant had been remanded in custody since May 23 for the fraud offence.

Judge Keith Cutler CBE said it was a “sad tale” before adding: “Clearly the last few years of your life have been tough. You will soon be at liberty again and you might want to take every opportunity of support people give you in Portsmouth.

“Please do not find yourself using stolen bank cards in casinos. People do want to help you but recently you have been committing crime after crime.”

The judge handed Osman a three-month jail sentence which had already been served while Osman was remanded in custody.