Robert Sharkey jailed for spending dead woman’s £6k on pizza

A man who spent £6,000 of his dead neighbour’s savings on pizzas has been sentenced to two years.

Robert Sharkey, 24, of Grays Hill, Bangor, was convicted of 11 charges after failing to report the woman had died, and then stealing from her.

The charges included using one of Marie Conlon’s debit cards to buy almost £6,000 worth of pepperoni pizzas.

The offences occurred when Sharkey lived above Ms Conlon’s flat at Larkspur Rise in Belfast.

The 68-year-old woman had died in January 2015.

In court on Monday, Judge Piers Grant told Sharkey: “What you did affronts the sensibilities of all right-thinking people.”

The judge said that while Sharkey was using Mrs Conlon’s card to buy pizza and other items, he must have known she was lying in an ever-worsening state of decomposition.

“To continue this disgraceful behaviour on such a regular basis can only be explained by complete indifference, greed and selfishness,” said the judge.

‘Pepperoni and anchovies’
At an earlier hearing, the court was told that Mrs Conlon’s body had lain for two years in her apartment while Sharkey memorised the details of her bank card to buy pizza.

He pleaded guilty to preventing Mrs Conlon’s lawful burial and breaking into her home.

He also pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation by using her bank card to buy pizzas worth £5,988.39. He bought the same pizza – pepperoni with anchovies on top – every day until he was caught.

He also bought goods from Sainsbury’s worth more than £3,000 and mobile phone credit of more than £1,000.

Sharkey was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court sitting in Downpatrick. Half of his sentence will be served in jail, the other half on licence.

Source: BBC News