‘Duped’ - Joshua Andrew Layton fined over credit card fraud

A Geraldton man who was “duped” by his brother into buying $242.40 of drinks in a Geraldton bar with a stolen credit card has been fined after pleading guilty. Joshua Andrew Layton, pictured, was arrested on July 22 after he was identified on CCTV footage using the card over a three-hour period to buy five rounds of drinks at the Geraldton Hotel. At a previous court appearance, Layton admitted he had used the card but said he shouldn’t face fraud charges because he didn’t know it was stolen. However, on Monday in Geraldton Magistrate’s Court, the 22-year-old pleaded guilty to five charges. His lawyer Melissa Wishart said he thought he had permission to use the card but conceded he should have checked who it belonged to. “He realises now he may have been duped,” she said, adding that after the incident he significantly cut down on his drinking and had learnt from the mistake. Layton claims his brother handed him the credit card, which had a woman’s name on it, at the bar and told him to buy rounds for the table. Layton was fined $300 and ordered to pay back the card owner as well as court costs of $225.90.