A man who used stolen bank cards to take money from his roommate and cousin will spend 114 days in jail after he was sentenced in provincial court.
Derek Lloyd MacPherson, 25, appeared before Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown where he pleaded guilty to several charges, including stealing more than $1,500.
Crown attorney Jeff MacDonald told the court MacPherson was working out west last March where he shared a room with another man.
On March 30, 2012, the roommate reported his debit card was stolen and used three times to withdraw $381.75 and once to take out $382.
MacPherson tried a fifth time after the victim cancelled the card.
Police were able to identify MacPherson from video surveillance at two of the places where he used the card.
He told police he overheard the victim telling his mother the PIN for the card, which was used for a joint account.
MacPherson also stole a bank card from his cousin after she passed it to him at a drive-through bank machine and gave him her PIN so he could withdraw money for her.
Bank records showed MacPherson later deposited an empty envelope in a bank machine, claiming there was $100 inside, but when he tried to withdraw the money from the account, he couldn’t because his cousin had a waiting period on any deposits she made.
MacPherson was able to use the card for $8, but was caught on video surveillance.
The court heard he had a previous criminal record that included convictions for fraud, mischief, assault and breaching probation.
MacPherson was first arrested in Miramichi, N.B., where he was released before police arrested him again in Borden-Carleton.
He also has warrant from Quebec that has been outstanding since 2008 and he is set to appear in Lloydminster, AB, for trial next month.
In handing down a sentence, Orr said she considered MacPherson’s record and his connection to the people he stole from.
She sentenced MacPherson to serve 60 days in jail each to be served concurrently on two theft charges.
He will also serve 45 days for fraud and nine days for failing to attend court, with both of those sentences to be served on top of the other jail time.
Orr ordered MacPherson to pay $1,527.25 in restitution to his former roommate and $8 to his cousin.
MacPherson will be on probation for 18 months after his release and Orr banned him from having in his possession during that time any bank card that doesn’t belong to him.
Orr said if it wasn’t for the fact that MacPherson probably couldn’t function without a bank card, she wouldn’t have let him have one at all.
