A henpecked boyfriend who lied to his partner about being mugged to avoid getting into trouble with her after spending £150 on a boozy night out with pals has been jailed for wasting police time.
Christopher Kimberley, 24, blew cash from his bank account buying drinks for his friends after hitting the town in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs.
But to avoid an ear-bashing when his girlfriend asked where all the money had gone later that night Kimberley told her he’d been robbed.
A court heard he was so worried about angering his partner he concocted a story to explain why he couldn’t afford a taxi – and blamed his BOSS for mugging him.
He claimed Jamie Cox, who was drinking with him at the time, had taken his bank card and demanded his pin number before stealing money from his account.
Concerned, Kimberley’s girlfriend and father contacted police but the lie continued to snowball when he was quizzed by officers.
As a result of the allegations Mr Cox was eventually arrested and held in a police cell for 12 HOURS while questioned.
Baffled Mr Cox told police Kimberley must have made up the story to avoid getting in trouble with his other half.
Further checks with the bank revealed £100 had been withdrawn on the ‘stolen’ card before it was alleged to have been taken – and Kimberley was arrested.
On Monday at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court he was jailed after he pleaded guilty to doing an act intending to pervert the course of public justice and fraud.
Sentencing, Judge Paul Glenn slammed ‘time-wasting’ Kimberley for persistently lying to the emergency services.
He said: “The man you named was arrested, interviewed and held in custody for almost 12 hours.
“And he was on bail for a couple of months before your lies came to light.
“You wasted a significant amount of police time and the time of an ambulance team who came out to see you when you complained of your injuries.
“What motivated this was covering up money you spent that day socialising.”
Prosecutor Paul Farrow said Kimberley spent April 25 working for Mr Cox but later went drinking in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, and spent cash buying Mr Cox and others drinks.
The following day Kimberley told police £150 had been withdrawn from his account.
But in a second statement he said £140 was taken in two withdrawals of £100 and £40.
Mr Farrow added that as a result of the allegations, the bank refunded him with £112.82.
Paul Cliff, defending, said Kimberley, who has learning difficulties, had been out with Mr Cox and two other men on the evening of April 25.
He said: “He had with him a wad of cash.
“He bought most of the drinks.
“Eventually his girlfriend contacted him and he had to explain where the money had gone.
“He gave her an account of the money and the card being taken as to why he could not afford to get a taxi.
“When he was eventually back at his girlfriend’s, she and her father contacted the police. He spoke to the police.
“The lie snowballed. It just escalated.”
The court heard Kimberley has since apologised to Mr Cox.
