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Saturday, September 06, 2008, 07:30
Rachel Botham (18) took a credit card from her grandfather Roy Botham's home in Altham Terrace, Boultham, Lincoln.
She had visited him on July 11 and shortly after she left he noticed his card was missing.
Lincoln Magistrates' Court heard she had access to his pin number because she had helped him with shopping after he took her in following a family dispute.
Botham, along with her boyfriend Paul Alexander (21), both of Trent View, off Burton Road, Lincoln, then bought an £800 laptop from Staples, spent £100 at Toys R Us and £34 at PC World.
Alexander then spent a further £140 at Halfords.
Only three weeks later the pair smashed a window to get into Mr Botham's home and broke down his bedroom door to steal his late wife's jewellery and £2,000 in cash.
Botham pleaded guilty to a charge of theft, a charge of burglary and one of fraud by false representation, plus six additional charges.
Alexander pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary, two of fraud by false representation and seven additional charges.
Tony Cunningham, mitigating for the couple, made no representations.
The case was considered too serious to be dealt with at magistrates' court. Botham and Alexander will be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court with a date to be confirmed.
More court stories in Saturday's Lincolnshire Echo.
Staples in Lincoln where Botham began her spending spree
