Theft from parents admitted

Clayton Michael Dougan, 34, appeared in Masterton District Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to four charges of dishonestly using a document and one charge of theft.

A Masterton man has admitted to fraudulently using his parents' bank card and void cheques to steal more than $45,000.

Clayton Michael Dougan, 34, appeared in Masterton District Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to four charges of dishonestly using a document and one charge of theft.

Prosecuting sergeant Garry Wilson said Dougan lived on-and-off with his mother and step-father, on a Masterton dairy farm.

Dougan had stolen a National Bank cashpoint card from their home and used the card to make various transactions from November 1, 2013, until his parents checked their bank statement on December 6 and discovered the theft.

Between December 20 and December 24, Dougan wrote out 16 fraudulent cheques, from closed accounts, using them at various places around Wairarapa to buy food and goods.

From December 29 to January 5 he wrote another seven fraudulent cheques.

On January 18 he used one cheque.

In total, Dougan stole $40,000 using his parents' bank card and $5382.45 using dishonestly-written cheques.

When spoken to by police, Dougan denied taking the card, saying he had been given it to use previously and had not given it back.

Police are seeking $45,382.45 in reparations.

Judge John Bergseng said a victim impact statement from Dougan's mother and step-father made it clear the family had been "devastated" by Dougan's offending.

He said it was clear Dougan had a drug problem that needed to be addressed and remanded him to March 31.