A Cardigan mother-of-five bought a stolen iPad despite thinking it was a ‘bit iffy’ a court heard last week.

Tara Marie Clayton, aged 31, of 49 A Bro Teifi, Cardigan, pleaded guilty to dishonestly receiving a stolen iPad, worth £430, knowing or believing it to be stolen, when she appeared before Aberystwyth magistrates on Wednesday.

The court heard that a woman left her iPad in the glove box of her vehicle with the passenger door unsecured overnight, and found the item had been stolen on September 23.

Nick Newton, prosecuting, told magistrates a market trader in Cardigan Guild Hall was approached by the defendant and a man at 10am that day, who offered him the iPad for £40.

He said: “The market trader was very suspicious that it was being offered for sale for such a low price. He would normally expect to pay £130 to £150 for a second-hand one.

“He declined to buy the item and contacted the police.”

Officers later arrested the pair and Clayton was found to be in possession of the iPad. In interview she told police she had bought it for about £20 from two men she didn’t know, adding she thought it was a ‘bit iffy’ but decided to buy it anyway.

Alison Mathias, defending, stated her client, a mother of five, had no involvement in the actual theft, and had bought it off an acquaintance, because he owed her £20.

Miss Mathias said: “She asked no questions, but it was an obvious conclusion that this iPad had been stolen. It appears she purchased the iPad and gave an extra £20. She is, in effect, out of pocket £60.”

She added that Clayton suffered a traumatic event earlier in the year, and was not in a ‘proper frame of mind’.

The court heard that no-one had been arrested or charged with the theft of the iPad, and it was recovered undamaged.

Magistrates imposed a 12 month conditional discharge, and ordered her to pay £85 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.