A homeless man yesterday admitted stealing a bank card from a car and using it to make more than $500 of purchases.

Gavin Hayward, 48, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to charges of causing wilful damage and stealing, in addition to four counts of dishonestly obtaining goods from separate stores.

The court heard that on the morning of May 29, a Pembroke woman heard a noise from outside her home, but dismissed it as something falling over. When she later went outside, however, she discovered that the driver’s side window of her car had been smashed.

A wallet left inside had been moved, with the cash and cards inside removed. She reported the incident to police, but later that day realised that several unauthorised transactions had been made. In total, $557.90 was spent, mostly on clothing and multiple pairs of sneakers.

The court heard that Hayward had turned his life around after passing the drug court treatment programme in 2012, graduating from Bermuda College and finding work as a chef. But prosecutor Maria Sofianos said it appeared something happened late last year which led to a conviction for theft and a suspended sentence from the Supreme Court for taking a vehicle without consent.

The matter was adjourned until August 23. The defendant was warned the matter may be sent to Supreme Court due to the suspended sentence.

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