A STUDENT who tried to defraud an Ascot car dealership out of a £24,000 luxury BMW has been spared jail.

Karl Yeboah had put in a finance application on April 3, 2021 for a BMW 5-series being sold by Synter in Sunningdale, Berks.

The application was made in the name of a Jessica Smith, a real woman who had no idea the application was being made, the court heard.

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Prosecutor Shaan Sethi told how a fraud investigator had made contact with Ms Smith, who had confirmed she not taken up any application for finance.

“The defendant was arrested on attending the BMW dealership to collect his car”, Mr Sethi told Reading Crown Court.

Yeboah, 27, was found to be in possession of a driving licence in his own name and a driving licence in the name of Ms Smith, which was later found to be a forgery.

“The defendant said he was collecting the car for his wife”, Mr Sethi said. “But in interview made admissions to the effect of being set up”.

Yeboah, who only had one previous conviction for possession of a class B drug, had admitted fraud and being in possession of false identity documents with intent.

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The court heard the application for finance in Ms Smith’s name had not been approved so she had not suffered any adverse consequences from the offence.

Dan Taylor, defending, said: “This has been a bad call from him. His involvement in this is reflective of extremely poor judgement. He got nothing from it.

“He is not employed at present. He is due to continue with his university course at South Bank University in September to do Advanced Construction.”

Mr Taylor said Yeboah had mental health difficulties, including episodes of psychosis and a previous admission to hospital, and that custody is “not conducive” to assisting his recovery.

District Judge Nicholas Wattam, sentencing, told Yeboah, of Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon, Surrey, he would not send him to prison immediately.

“This was clearly a thoroughly dishonest thing to have done”, the judge said. “Had you got away with it, it may have had a significant impact on Ms Smith, whose name you used. You displayed very poor judgment.

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“It seems to me you are capable of rehabilitation. You certainly, at one time, had quite a bit going for you, so your life has come off the rails. Probation are prepared to work with you.”

DJ Wattam imposed a 16-month jail sentence, suspended for a year, with an order to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.