A JUDGE maintained his pledge to impose a suspended sentence on a second woman who stole from a vulnerable man they ‘befriended’.

Both Claire and Davina Copeland have now received suspended sentences for theft, having each spent more than six months on remand in custody.

Judge Ray Singh, however, told them they behaved “despicably” in taking more than £20,000 from the victim, who they saw as, “something of a soft touch”.

Durham Crown Court was told they came up with a various stories why they needed money, escorting the victim to cash machines to make withdrawals.

Pledges to pay the money back were never honoured and it was bank staff, concerned over “suspicious activity” on the victim’s account, who raised the alert in September 2019.

The victim told police Claire Copeland initially came to him seeking money to buy children Easter eggs, then she told him she needed to meet the cost of urgent home improvements.

Both went to his home by taxi but expected the victim to meet the cost of the fare, before accompanying him to the bank.

Anthony Pettengell, prosecuting, said it became an almost daily occurrence, sometimes early on a morning when they would throw pebbles to his bedroom window to wake him.

Mr Pettengell told the court that while they claimed they needed the money for bills and household items, much of the money taken was used to feed their drug addiction.

It was estimated Claire Copeland benefited by £14,495 and Davina Copeland by £6,025.

Claire Copeland, 41, of Oak Terrace, Leadgate, and her 42-year-old cousin, formerly of Blackhill, Consett, originally denied theft, at a plea hearing in early December when they were remanded in custody.

But they recently changed their pleas to guilty, while Davina Copeland also admitted trying to convey a drug package into Durham Prison on a visit to see an inmate, on November 3, last year.

Judge Ray Singh told them there appeared to have been a marked improvement in their appearances in the time they were on remand, which he said may have been down to their drug abstinence in custody.

But he said they behaved “despicably” against a, “vulnerable individual”, who they seemed to treat like, “something of a soft touch”.

Claire Copeland was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years at a hearing earlier this month.

Sentence was deferred on Davina Copeland, who, at the time, had no fixed address, but Judge Singh told her he would pass a similar sentence on her if she could find permanent accommodation.

On her return, the court was told she now has a flat in Park Road, Consett, and so Judge Singh passed a 12-month sentence for theft with three months added for the prison drugs offence, both suspended for two years.

Like her cousin, she was also made subject to four-month 6pm to 6am home curfew.