A MAN who stole a fuel payment card from his former employers to buy thousands of pounds of petrol has been ordered to pay back just £5.

Wayne Mitchell, 31, took the card from the Helphire Group and fraudulently used it at petrol stations in Oxfordshire between July 21 and December 24, 2008.

He admitted theft and fraud at an earlier hearing and was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 150 hours’ unpaid work at Oxford Crown Court in March.

The court heard the company had been left £21,000 out of pocket but Mitchell, who lent the card to friends, admitted buying £4,985 of fuel himself and was sentenced on that basis.

Under a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at the same court this week, Mitchell, of Avocet Way, Bicester, was told to pay back a nominal amount due to his other debts.

Kevin West, for the prosecution, said: “Because he owes, among other people, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs large amounts of money, the Crown is seeking a nominal order in the sum of £5.”

He was given 28 days to pay or will face one day in jail.