An architecture student who bought the tools to clone credit cards walked from court.

Henry Barlow, 21, ordered blank American Express credit cards over the internet in spring 2020.

Unknowingly, Barlow had bought the items from an undercover officer working for the US Department of Homeland Security.

The US authorities tipped off police in the UK and the items were intercepted at Stanstead Airport.

A plain clothes police officer delivered the package to the defendant’s home in Upper Arncott, near Bicester, on June 30, 2020.

Oxford Mail: Henry Barlow, left, outside Oxford Magistrates' Court Picture: OMHenry Barlow, left, outside Oxford Magistrates' Court Picture: OM

Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard that Barlow accepted the package and even signed for it.

The house was searched by specialist officers, who discovered blank credit cards together with encoders, specialist equipment used to load information onto the bank cards’ metal strips.

Checks of his laptop showed he’d searched the internet for how to produce what prosecutor Ann Sawyer-Brandish described as ‘fraudulent items’.

Defending, Stuart Matthews made it clear that his client had only cloned his own cards and one of his father’s, which was linked to a closed account.

He had purchased kit on eBay that allowed the cards to be cloned. But technology in cards changed in 2008, with the introduction of chip and pin. It meant that the cards produced by Barlow could not have been used, the court heard.

“There is no suggestion he has credit cards with anyone else’s data on,” Mr Matthews said.

Oxford Mail: File image of Oxford Magistrates' Court, where the case was heard Picture: OMFile image of Oxford Magistrates' Court, where the case was heard Picture: OM

The solicitor described his client as having been in a ‘bad place’ and ‘isolated’ at the time.

Since his arrest, his client’s life had moved on significantly. He was now studying architecture at university in Gateshead and ran his own fashion business, rising early in order to answer emails relating to the business before he started his university work.

Barlow, now of Redgrave Close, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of an article for use in connection with a fraud.

District Judge Kamlesh Rana told the defendant: “I take into account your relative youth and immaturity when these offences were committed.

“I am quite impressed with the [pre-sentence] report that I have read about your insight into what you describe as your ‘ego taking over’ when you were committing these offences.

“To that end, having demonstrated that insight, I am satisfied this is going to be a one-off and hopefully you will not be seen in these or any other courts again.”

She imposed a 12 month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered he pay £180 in costs and surcharge.

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