A SERIAL fraudster who preyed for years on hotels, restaurants and bars in York and North Yorkshire, is a reformed character, York Crown Court heard.

Mark Anthony Chapman, 45, was being sentenced for stealing beauty products from Marks and Spencer shortly after security staff noticed him behaving suspiciously near a perfume display in Fenwick.

In March 2021, the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, called him a “public nuisance” and banned him for five years from using credit to buy food, drink or accommodation in hospitality businesses.

He also made him subject to an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years for a catalogue of frauds on hospitality businesses in York and North Yorkshire and other offences.

York magistrates sent Chapman, of the Peasholme Centre, York, back to York Crown Court when he pleaded guilty to stealing beauty products in October 2022 and thereby breaching the suspended sentence order. 

His barrister Nathan Davis told the higher court Chapman had managed to keep out of trouble for 15 months until his relationship broke down and he started drinking. That had led to the shop theft.

“The fact is he has refrained from offending until October last year,” said Mr Davis. “He has made good progress on the order. This (the shop theft) is an isolated incident and out of place.”

Judge Deborah Sherwin decided not to make Chapman serve the eight-month sentence imposed in 2021 and instead made him subject to a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years with a six-month alcohol treatment programme and 15 days’ rehabilitative activities.

She also fined him £10 and ordered him to pay a £154 statutory surcharge. He lives on benefits.

“You have shown you can keep yourself out of trouble for a period of time,” she said.

The five-year credit ban remains in force.

Chapman has 76 previous convictions, many for fraud and theft, including stealing hundreds of pounds a time by booking into hotels and running up bills on fake credit card numbers, but none apart from the beauty products theft since 2021.

The eight-month suspended prison sentence was imposed for four offences of fraud by false representation, four offences of making off without paying, one of theft and one of criminal damage.

Prosecution barrister Michael Cahill said on Saturday October 8, 2022, a shop detective spotted Chapman behaving suspiciously near a perfume counter in Fenwicks in Coppergate Centre, York. He appeared to be in drink. The shop employee approached him and Chapman left without taking anything.

But shortly afterwards the same day, he was spotted putting cosmetics worth £181 in a duffle bag in Marks and Spencer’s Parliament Street store and leaving the store without paying. He was detained outside and the stolen items recovered.

He claimed; “I haven’t done nowt.”

Mr Davis said Chapman wanted to work with the probation service to tackle his drinking.