Two men who walked into a hotel reception in the early hours and gave themselves a £13,600 card ‘refund’ have avoided jail.

Harun Buni 19, and Abdawali Maxamed, also 19, walked into Bryn Meadows in Maesycwmmer on January 30 at around 5am.

They took the card machine from the unattended reception and rang through six payments on two cards totalling £13,600.

The pair, from London, then placed the card machine back on the reception desk and walked out.

Staff raised the alarm after looking at CCTV footage of the duo.

Maxamed, of Adelaide Road, Southall, was arrested a week later at Ystrad Mynach Police Station and was later charged with fraud.

The following week, Buni, of Moyne Place, Ealing, handed himself into a police station in Acton and was also charged with fraud.

Both admitted the charges.

Appearing at Cardiff Crown Court on February 28, Buni was given a 14-month young offender institution sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was told to pay a victim surcharge of £149.

He was also handed a four month curfew between the hours 9pm and 7am and told to do 20 days of rehabilitation.

Maxamed was given a 12-month young offender institution sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was told to pay a victim surcharge of £149.

He was also told to do 20 days of rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid community work.

The court was told how the fraudulent payments were put on hold, meaning no loss to the family-run Bryn Meadows.