A CRUEL conman who claimed he was raising funds for a children’s charity, just two days after being released from prison for similar fraud offences, has been given a chance to change his criminal ways.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how baby-faced Kieren Bonner had tricked kind-hearted donors into sponsoring him for a fictitious Children in Need event.

Unemployed Bonner, 24, from Suffolk Road, Bournemouth, admitted three fraud offences and one theft charge on October 30 last year.

Prosecutor Jenny Rickman said the fraud offences had come to light after Bonner was arrested for shoplifting in Bournemouth town centre.

During a search of his accommodation, police officers found a Children in Need sponsorship form on Bonner’s bed.

Mrs Rickman added: “There were a number of names and addresses on the list. It was all false.

“The defendant said he had put the first few names on the form himself; others were real people who had given real money totalling £35.47.

“Many of those people gave, thinking the money was going to Children in Need.”

Mrs Rickman told the court how Bonner had amassed 48 convictions for 91 offences since 1999.

In July last year, after admitting four counts of fraud and a string of similar offences, he was jailed for 24 weeks.

Weymouth magistrates had heard how Bonner and a 15-year-old accomplice had knocked on doors in the resort, making bogus claims that they were collecting money for CLIC Sargent, a charity supporting sick children, and pocketed their ill-gotten gains.

Just two days after Bonner’s release from prison he was up to his old tricks in Bournemouth.

Defending, Frank Abbott branded Bonner “a nuisance” and “unpleasant” adding: “When his details were put through the police computer I imagine it exploded.

“When you look at him it is surprising anyone gives him money but people take things at face value.”

He stressed that Bonner was now drug-free and had stayed out of trouble for seven months.

Judge John Harrow told Bonner: “These are mean, despicable offences trading on people’s good nature. They mistakenly believed you were giving to a responsible charity.

“You have done it before and have a shocking record for someone of your age. It would be easy to send you to prison today but there seems to be a ray of light appearing in your life.”

He warned Bonner that if he did not change his ways he would end up spending longer spells behind bars and become “an old lag.”

Judge Harrow imposed a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He ordered Bonner to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay Children in Need compensation.