A man has been given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to stealing bank cards from a farm in Rossendale.

Brandon Stewart, 27, was arrested in September 2022 after several items, including a quadbike, were stolen from the farm.

In July that year, a farmer from Rossendale Valley was the victim of several thefts and suspecting somebody had been snooping on her land during the night.

Rossendale Rural Task Force investigated and located several pieces of CCTV showing Stewart, of Pringle Street, Rochdale, using bank cards stolen from the farm.

Following his arrest, Stewart refused to answer any questions in the police interview and refused to tell officers where the quadbike was.

Two witnesses participated in an ID parade and positively identified Stewart as being on the land and stealing the quadbike.

Stewart pleaded guilty to the offences at Burnley Crown Court of June 6 and was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for 18 months, 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days, a seven-year restraining order, and a 20-week tag curfew between 7.00pm-5.00am.

A police spokesperson said: “This crime has significantly impacted on the victim and they described to us how they felt stalked within their own home, especially living in the rural location that they do.

“They described the theft of the quadbike has not just stolen their means to access the land to care for animals, but also stolen their independence and confidence.”