Two brazen fraud gangs clashed over an elderly victim as they argued over who had the right to steal his money. Eight people were sentenced this week after targeting elderly victims across England, taking more than £97,000 in just three months.
The victims lived in Ellesmere Port, Rochdale, Coventry, and Northamptonshire. Two of the elderly victims died before the gang appeared at Chester Crown Court on July 27 and 28.
The Frauds
Between July and September 2023, victims were persuaded to take out cash or write cheques for unwanted building work that was never completed or was done poorly. Michael Doran, 34, Liam Bayley, 29, and Terri-Lee Readman, 26, pleaded guilty to five counts of conspiracy to defraud. Bradley Carroll, 41, Jessica Strange, 30, and Lynn Strange, 52, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to transfer criminal property. Jerry Connors, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud, and Rebecca Field, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of transferring criminal property.
The case began in late July 2023 when Connors attended the address of a vulnerable man in Ellesmere Port and persuaded him to write cheques worth £34,500 for roof repairs that were never done. Connors arranged for Field to pay the cheques into her account, taking a cut and using the rest to buy Rolex watches for Connors.
Around the same time, Doran and Bayley, acting separately, approached the same man and obtained more cheques. They regularly took him to ATMs to withdraw money. Doran purchased meals and groceries after coercing the victim to hand over his bank card. Doran and Bayley stole a total of £33,150 from him. Several cheques were paid into Readman's accounts then transferred back to Doran and Bayley. Doran also used Carroll to cash cheques, which were then transferred to Lynn and Jessica Strange, who withdrew the cash.
Gang Conflict
The two fraud groups came into conflict over the victim as his money ran out. Messages from their phones showed Doran and Connors fighting over who had the right to continue defrauding him. The offences came to light in late September 2023 when the victim's direct debits bounced due to lack of funds. He turned to a friend, who informed Cheshire Police.
Further enquiries identified four more victims targeted by Doran and Bayley. An elderly woman in Rochdale handed over £7,800 in cheques, cash and bank transfers. An elderly man from Ellesmere Port gave £5,000 and was taken to his bank twice to withdraw £2,800. Doran obtained blank cheques from an elderly woman in Coventry worth £13,000. An elderly woman in Corby had unnecessary poor-quality roof repairs; Doran got a £2,000 cheque for that work.
Sentences and Police Comment
All eight were arrested and later charged. Michael Doran was sentenced to 55 months in prison. Liam Bayley got 43 months. Terri-Lee Readman received two years suspended for two years. Bradley Carroll received nine months suspended for 18 months. Lynn Strange got six months suspended for 12 months. Jessica Strange got three months suspended for 12 months. Jerry Connors got 15 months suspended for two years. Rebecca Field got 10 months suspended for 18 months.
DC Rob Mackay, Ellesmere Port Proactive CID, said: "This has been a lengthy and complex investigation, and I welcome the sentences handed to the defendants who have now been held accountable for their despicable behaviour. They purposefully targeted vulnerable and elderly victims, stealing their hard-earned cash for their own benefit. They even drained the bank account of one of their victims dry, leaving him struggling to keep up direct debit payments while they plotted over who they could target next. Sadly, two of the elderly victims pursued by this group have since died and never got to see justice served. I hope the conclusion of this court process today will at least provide some comfort to their loved ones, knowing that these fraudsters have now had to answer for their crimes. I hope this case serves as a reminder to people to report any similar offences if they believe they have fallen victim to fraud. You can report information online or by calling 101."
