A 41-year-old swindler from Stevenage has been handed a suspended jail sentence for a series of fraud and theft offences.

Joseph McDonald, of Longcroft Road, was sentenced at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

McDonald admitted eight counts of receiving stolen goods, including NatWest, Santander and HSBC bank cards, headphones and two sat nav devices.

He also admitted two counts of fraud by false representation, having claimed he was authorised to use debit cards belonging to other people to gain a total of £223.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of interfering with vehicles with the intent of stealing them or things inside them.

For the 13 offences, all committed in 2015, McDonald was given a jail sentence of 16 weeks, suspended for 18 months.

He will also have to undergo a rehabilitation activity for 60 days and six months of drug rehabilitation.

The bench ordered him to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £80.