A JUDGE has dismissed claims from a man who stole thousands of pounds from banks that he spent the last of his money on paying off a drug debt, getting his dog pregnant and on roulette machines.

Paul Streeter, 46, from Bournemouth, and his brother Darren, 48, were jailed for 30 months in February after stealing thousands of pounds from banks using makeshift ‘fishing devices’.

The pair stole more than £3,000 from NatWest in Dorchester and more than £4,500 in total by using a fishing line or paper clips with an end covered in adhesive that they would lower in to quick deposit boxes so envelopes would attach themselves to the line.

The pair returned to Dorchester Crown Court for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

The court was told that in the case of Paul Streeter a total benefit figure from his offending of £4,511.74 had been agreed but there was a dispute over the total amount of ‘realisable assets’ that could be confiscated.

He said that he had spent all of his money but the Crown Prosecution Service had obtained bank accounts that showed that on January 15, a week before he was due to file his financial information for the POCA proceedings, Paul Streeter had withdrawn £3,025 and he still had £389.32 in his bank.

Paul Streeter gave evidence in an attempt to convince the court that he had spent all of the money he had withdrawn.

He said he had paid a total of £2,200 to a drug dealer, settling a long standing debt, and he had also given a man £400 to try and get his dog pregnant.

Paul Streeter said he was sofa surfing in Bournemouth at the time and the rest of the money had been given to people who were “taking advantage” of him and he had lost “a couple of hundred quid” on roulette machines.

He said: “If I had the money to pay it I would gladly pay it.”

However, Judge Jonathan Fuller was not convinced by Paul Streeter’s claims.

He said: “I conclude that the withdrawal of that money was for one reason only and that was to conceal it from the authorities.

“I’m not satisfied in any way on the evidence I have heard that it has been dissipated in any way at all.

“I draw the conclusion on the evidence that I have heard that is has been hidden away.”

As a result the judge set a figure for the realisable assets of Paul Streeter of £3,414.32.

He was given three months to pay the money or he will face a four month prison term in default.

In the case of his brother, Darren Streeter, from Walsall, West Midlands, the judge was satisfied he had no realisable assets and ordered a nominal figure of £1 be set.