Chatham mum stole mobile phone in Dartford council’s Civic Centre and used bankcard in its case to buy food for her children

An opportunist thief who spotted a mobile phone had been left unattended took it and used a bankcard kept in its case to buy food for her children.

Mum-of-four Louise Murphy saw the device in the Civic Centre in Dartford and stole it, a court heard.

She went shopping with the stolen Halifax card and spent £38.29 on it.

The 35-year-old was arrested and charged with stealing the phone, worth more than £600...