A FRAUDSTER has narrowly avoided going to prison after stealing from the family of a priest who had taken him in when he fell on hard times.

Zachary Talbot, now living in Bath but originally from Swindon, appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation.

The court heard that Talbot was a former addict who had managed to turn his life around before the suicide of a close friend led him back to drug use.

He was struggling and after being introduced to Fr Dexter Bracey and his wife Amy at church he was given a place to stay free of charge.

He was addicted to the drug diazepam and went on to use Fr Bracey’s credit card without permission to purchase it online, the two transactions totalled £149.89.

The fraud went unnoticed until Amy Bracey’s mother, Carol Wray, was notified by her bank that Talbot had tried to cash two of her cheques, each to the value of £250, made out to himself.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, said: “Amy Bracey says the whole incident made her feel betrayed, she lost her faith in people.”

Kim Moules, defending, said: “He is here today very remorseful.

“He really wants to get off drugs, he has referred himself to the Bath and North Somerset drug team and they have provided a letter showing how well he is working with them.

“He is back on the straight and narrow and has turned a corner.”

After hearing from probation that prison may undo the positive work around his addiction already completed, magistrates decided to impose a high level community order.

Sentencing him, chair of the bench Jonathan Chappell, said: “We’ve heard about your motivation so we are relying on you taking advantage of this opportunity to get control of your drug use.

“I think one of your objectives here should be not to come back into a court building again. That would be to everyone’s advantage.”

Talbot must complete a six month high intensity drug rehabilitation requirement which will include providing regular samples.