[M]agistrates in Carlisle have issued a warrant for the arrest of a Carlisle woman who failed to attend her trial on allegations of fraud and theft.
The case was outlined in court, on May 15 Rachel Louise Gent, 34, went into the Cash Generators shop and sold a TV as her property and received £75 in payment.
The court was told the TV set was not hers to sell as it belonged to another person, evidence was shown to the court that Gent signed an agreement with the shop to confirm the TV was her property, she was also seen on the shops CCTV completing the transaction.
The trial went ahead in her absence and she was found guilty on the charge of fraud.
Gent made a statement to police that “she met a beggar outside the Citadel near the railway station and he asked if she could take the TV to the shop and sell it, he would give her £25, as he had no ID to give the shop” she thought he was genuine and it was his TV the court was told.
The court was told by prosecutor Andy Travis that Gent has a number of previous theft charges and she has a propensity for shop thefts.
As the owner of the TV didn’t attend the trial as a witness, that allegation of theft was dismissed with no evidence given.
Magistrates found her guilty on the case of fraud and issued a warrant for her arrest and to be brought to court to be sentenced, her last known address was given as Brookside, Raffles, Carlisle.