A 45-year-old woman from Tenby ‘foolishly scribbled’ her ex-husband’s signature on a claim settlement form from HSBC as ‘an administrative way of getting things through quicker’, Haverfordwest magistrates court heard.

Tracey Anne Manning, of Knowling Mead, pleaded guilty to attempting to commit fraud by false representation on September 4th.

The court heard Manning wrote her former husband’s, Stuart Fecci’s, signature on an HSBC acceptance of offer for a Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) claim.

Prosecutor Gerald Neave told the court Manning and Mr Fecci had taken out PPI on a loan in 2005, when they were still married.

The couple subsequently divorced and on April 16th last year, Manning completed a PPI claim form alone.

On June 27th HSBC sent a letter to Manning’s home address offering a settlement of £1,016.18 – a form which required signatures from both parties.

Manning signed the form and completed Mr Fecci’s signature, the court heard.

On September 13th Mr Fecci received a letter from HSBC informing him the signature on the form did not match their records.

Mr Fecci then contacted HSBC and reported the incident to Tenby police station.

When interviewed by police, Manning admitted signing the form.

Michael Kelleher, defending, said his client had reams of paperwork showing she had always intended for two separate payments to be made and was not going to keep the money for herself.

“Unfortunately she has gone the wrong way about it,” he added.

Mr Kelleher said his client had ‘foolishly scribbled’ her ex-husband’s signature as ‘an administrative way of getting things through quicker’.

Manning was fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.