A WOMAN from Rhyl who stole a man’s mobile phone which was not recovered, meaning he lost the pictures stored on it of his late wife, has been spared jail.

Alison Wells, 49, of High Street, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended for the same time period, at Caernarfon Crown Court today (June 28).

Wells was also sentenced for having stolen another woman’s debit card and then twice attempting to use it for herself.

She had previously admitted two counts of fraud, and one charge each of burglary of a dwelling and theft.

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Prosecuting, Richard Edwards told the court that, at 2pm on November 19, 2023, Ann Hughes left her flat in Rhyl, but returned later to find a window open wider than usual, and her handbag missing.

In her handbag was her NatWest debit card, and later that day, she received messages from NatWest that it had been attempted to be used at two stores.

Police quickly identified Wells via closed circuit television footage and arrested her, while the debit card was recovered.

Ms Hughes was “shocked” and “disappointed” that Wells did this – she said she had “only been nice and kind” to the defendant, and just two days prior had provided her with food and drink.

Then, at 6.20pm on March 7, 2024, Keith Gough was at The Golden Lion pub in Denbigh with his friends and left his coat on a snug adjacent to a pool table as he went to play pool.

While he was playing, Wells was seen on CCTV to take a set of keys and a phone from Mr Gough’s jacket.

It was not until later that evening that Mr Gough realised his possessions had gone, but Wells was traced and arrested – the keys were recovered, but the phone was not.

Mr Gough said the phone contained pictures of his late wife, who he had been with for 34 years up to her death in 2003.

The photos had not been backed up, so he has not been able to recover them.

After his wife died, his brother took him on a holiday to Costa Rica – pictures from this trip have also been lost.

Defending Wells, who had 56 previous convictions for 126 offences, Gareth Bellis said she wants to move out of Rhyl to “get her life back on track”.

He said she has struggled with a dependency on alcohol, crack cocaine and heroin since age 19, but said Wells “asks for one more chance”.

Asking for a suspended custodial sentence with drug rehabilitation requirements on her behalf, Mr Bellis said: “Ms Wells can only have herself to blame if she appears in court again.”

Sentencing, Judge Nicola Saffman told Wells that she has an “appalling” criminal record, and that her actions had “devastating consequences” for Mr Gough.

“He will never be able to recover those photos of his late wife,” she told her.

“They are lost forever.”

Judge Saffman ordered Wells to complete 30 days’ rehabilitation activity, six months’ drug rehabilitation, and six months’ trail monitoring.

She is excluded from entering licensed premises for six months, meanwhile.

Wells, who had been remanded in custody prior to today’s sentencing, will come before Judge Saffman again if there is a breach of the order, after she reserved the case to herself.

Judge Saffman told her: “This is a tough order. This is probably, for you, the last chance you will ever have of turning your life around.”