AN "inept" fraudster has been jailed for seven months after walking into a pawnbrokers with a stolen credit card and trying to buy £7,745 of jewellery.

Daniel Barrass, 28, of Idlethorp Way, Thorpe Way, Bradford, pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false representation over attempting to use the credit card. He also admitting receiving the stolen Santander credit card on the same day.

Yesterday, the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, jailed soon-to-be father-of-four Barrass for seven months in total describing his actions as "inept" and the offence a "silly" one.

"You were effectively caught red-handed", he added.

The sentence means Barrass will miss the birth of his fourth child, who is due at the beginning of September.

Prosecutor Robert Yates told Bradford Crown Court that the home of Lynne Dickson in Rawdon had been burgled in the early hours of May 10 this year.

While there was no evidence to connect Barrass with the burglary, he walked into H&T Pawnbrokers in James Street in Bradford city centre at 10am the same day and tried to use one of Mrs Dickson's stolen credit cards.

He detailed how Barrass tried to buy a ring and a chain worth £7,745 in total using the Santander card.

"That transaction was fortunately declined," said Mr Yates, "The defendant left the scene and was later identified from the CCTV footage at the pawnbrokers when the bank reported unusual activity on the account."

He added that at the time of the burglary Mrs Dickson has been at hospital with her terminally-ill partner.

The burglary, as well as the fraud, had caused her anxiety and sleeplessness, he said. She was also concerned about the proximity of the defendant's address to her home.

Ayman Khokhar, for Barrass, said it had been a "failed attempt" rather than a fraud that resulted in an loss.

He added that the fraud itself was unsophisticated.

"He enters the pawnbrokers and makes no attempt to disguise himself. He hasn't attempted to bolster the fraud by using a false identity.

"You could say it was a pretty inept effort."

In sentencing, the judge added: "Sadly, somebody burgled the home of a lady who was caring for a terminally ill partner, and the impact on that person was considerable.

"A very short period after that burglary you came into possession of one of the stolen credit cards and you were trying to use it."

He added of the seven month sentence: "You won't be in for a long time, but you will be in for some time."