A THIEF who walked into a bank and pretended to be a woman conned a series of Barclays Bank cashiers into handing over more than £480.

Credit card crook Michael Rodes doesn't walk, talk or dress like a lady - but was able to plunder a woman's account by pretending to be her.

Bank staff failed to notice the 23-year-old was signing his female victim's name as he made a string of withdrawals.

Rodes, of Glen Street, Hebburn, South Tyneside, found the card in Newcastle and in the days that followed visited five branches of Barclays Bank.

It was only after he had obtained hundreds of pounds of his victim's money that bank staff realised he was not a woman and contacted police.

Now, the online gambling addict has been convicted of the fraud at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, where he also admitted two charges of assault.

Rodes admitted two charges of fraud by false representation and one count of obtain by deception. He also admitted two counts of assault, causing actual bodily harm. He was given a 12-month community order, 12 months' supervision and ordered to do 120 hours' unpaid work.