A local man and woman have been sentenced to 22 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to 34 fraud offences and one burglary.

Nicholas VALVERDE, 34, of Transport Lane, and Soukaina BABED, 26, of Main Street, were sentenced by the Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.

The court heard how, in April 2020, a paramedic had his wallet stolen from a staff room on the sixth floor of Saint Bernard’s Hospital.

The victim later received a notification from his bank informing him that an online transaction had just been made with his bank card.

After checking his online bank accounts, he discovered numerous fraudulent transactions had been made using his bank cards. 

He then checked his bag and realised his wallet, containing several bank cards, together with £240 and €100 in cash, along with other personal items, had been stolen.

The matter was then reported to the Royal Gibraltar Police, who launched an investigation.

After checking CCTV footage at the hospital, officers identified VALVERDE and BABED entering the corridor that led to the staff room.

Following an intensive investigation, officers discovered a total of £1,859.16 had been stolen using several credit cards.

The pair had used the cards at numerous locations around Gibraltar, buying cigarettes, clothes, food, drink and electronics.

They were caught on CCTV using the stolen credit cards at multiple locations around the Rock.

At 11pm on Saturday 2 May 2020, VALVERDE and BABED were at New Mole House in relation to another matter, when officers arrested them.

At a later date they were charged with 34 counts of Fraud by False Representation and one count of Burglary.