'Mean' man stole from people who befriended him
Exeter Crown Court heard Matthew Rogers made off without paying for accommodation and food at three South Devon bed and breakfast establishments where he ran up bills of hundreds of pounds with stolen credit cards.
Rogers was branded 'mean, selfish and dishonest' by Judge Jeremy Griggs.
Prosecutor Howard Phillips said Rogers stole the credit cards from people who befriended him and obtained more than £400 in cash.
The court heard that after Rogers was arrested he said he had stayed in the bed and breakfast places because he was cold and hungry.
He was living rough in Dawlish.
Mr Phillips said Rogers admitted a series of theft and fraud offences and was given a community order. But failure to attend probation appointments led to him being in breach of the order and eventually he was sentenced to six months' youth custody.
The prosecutor said Rogers had stolen credit cards from the teenage son of a family who had befriended him and also from the receptionist at a Shaldon holiday park where he had been working. He obtained £110 on the first cards and then went into Teignmouth town centre and got a further £300 from cash machines with the cards belonging to the receptionist.
He also stayed at the bed and breakfast establishments running up bills of hundreds of pounds before leaving without paying.
Appealing against the custodial term, William Parkhill said at the time Rogers was homeless and committed the offences because he was cold and hungry.
He now had secure accommodation and wanted to try to get a job so he could put his life back together.
Rogers, of Harts Close, Teignmouth, originally admitted two offences of theft, four of fraud by false representation and asked for three similar offences to be considered.
The court heard he had 29 previous convictions.
Dismissing the appeal, Judge Jeremy Griggs told Rogers: "At the age of 20 you have already built up a substantial record of offences.
"It is quite apparent that the magistrates had no alternative but to pass a custodial sentence as you had not complied with probation.
"This was mean offending which was selfish and thoroughly dishonest. You could not have complained if the sentence imposed on you had been longer."
