A man who stole more than £21,000 from a pensioner’s bank account has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Mohammed Majid, 24, had worked at the Bradford & Bingley bank where the 82-year-old victim had two ISA accounts, but had left its employment at the time of the thefts, Bradford Crown Court was told yesterday.

The court heard Majid, of Woodhouse Road, Keighley, had made three withdrawals from the pensioner’s account in November, 2007.

There were cash withdrawals of £300 and £750 and a cheque for £20,000. Judge John Potter said a significant amount of money was placed into the defendant’s account as a consequence of dishonest appropriation, by him and possibly others, from an innocent person.

The victim had two Bradford & Bingley accounts. One had been closed but the other was open. But it was then closed without his knowledge in November, 2007 and some of the money transferred to Majid’s account.

The defendant had worked part-time at the Bradford & Bingley from 2004 and full-time in 2006, but the money had been transferred after he left their employment. Judge Potter said a degree of sophistication had been used with a forged letter to transfer money.

Abigail Langford, mitigating, said Majid, who was 21 at the time, had been manipulated by two older men.

She said they had asked him if he would allow his bank account to be used to receive the money.

She said that he did not spend any money on himself. But Judge Potter said he did not accept Majid was manipulated by others.

He told him he was an intelligent man, experienced in the world of finance.

He added: “While not a breach of trust, it is a case that passes the custody threshold.”

But he said he was able to suspend the sentence.

Majid, who pleaded guilty to three charges of theft, was sentenced to nine months imprisonment suspended for two years, with supervision, and ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work for the community.