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p>Individuals who conned elderly victims out of over £750,000 for unnecessary building work have been jailed for more than 14 years…
The gang targeted vulnerable elderly people with unsolicited approaches in Surrey, South London and the Thames Valley and persuaded them to part with large sums of cash for home repairs that they had persuaded were needed. The money was then laundered through the accounts of third parties.
It was uncovered that two victims in their 80s lost their life savings after paying more than £300,000 each for unnecessary shoddy building work.
Steven Thompson, 41, of Perryfield Way, Richmond, Surrey, Matthew Smith (Snr), 52, of Whitehead Way, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire and Matthew Smith (Jnr) of the same address, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud.
Officers found evidence through banking documents showing that the offences took place on or before the 11th January 2009 and 20th January 2012.
During the investigation, it was established that some of the work was not even carried out, and the work that was undertaken, was of a poor quality and often not required. Some of the victims were visited by further individuals, attempting to persuade them to claim compensation for unsatisfactory work on payment of further fees.
On the 20th November, Thompson and Smith (Snr) were both sentenced to six years in prison at Guildford Crown Court. Smith (Jnr) was given an 18 month sentence suspended for two years with a 12 month supervision order and 200 hours unpaid work.
Two further defendants were given prison sentences. Con Watson, 46, of Burleigh Road, Surrey, was found guilty of four counts of money laundering and sentenced to 13 months in prison. Joanne Greene, 43, of Combermere Road, Morden, appeared on the 27th November having pleaded guilty to five counts of money laundering and was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Two further defendants were found not guilty at trial.
Fraud investigator, Sue Brothers, said “These were cold and calculated offences which were carried out by this gang who spotted an opportunity to prey on the elderly and vulnerable to deceive them out of a large sums of money.
"As well as financial loss, the trauma experienced by the victims cannot be underestimated and sadly, two of the victims have since died.
Individuals who conned elderly victims out of over £750,000 for unnecessary building work have been jailed for more than 14 years….
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