A WINCHESTER man will be short of cash for a while after a court ordered he pay compensation for fraud against his ex-wife.

Thomas James Taylor, 28, narrowly avoided a prison term after he admitted three counts of fraud by using her bank and supermarket cards.

Taylor, of Limetree Walk, Winnall, used a Barclaycard belonging to the woman between December 22 2016 and January 24 2018.

The court was told a substantial value was involved and caused a considerable undermining of her self-confidence.

Taylor was ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work at weekends over the next 12 months, and pay £2,000 compensation to Barclaycard at the rate of £75 a month starting on March 1. He was told to pay the victim £200 compensation.

A second charge involved a Halifax Bank card between January 1 2017 and January 12 2018. He was ordered to pay £50 compensation.

The third charge involved a Tesco card and Taylor was told to pay £1,000 compensation.

Magistrates jailed him for eight weeks suspended for 12 months.