Champagne-loving conman faces jail after £275K pensioners rip-off

A champagne-loving conman who claimed he was shopping for a £2million property from TV’s Grand Designs is dealing with jail after being discovered responsible of swindling weak pensioners.

Layne Perry, 39, pretended to be a millionaire playboy who flew helicopters, rode with the native hunt and was a excessive curler at casinos.

But on a regular basis Perry was dwelling in a rented seaside caravan and counting on handouts from his mom.

Ex-solder Perry ‘flashed the money’ to impress an aged widow and a married couple who shared his love of the countryside and horses.

He took one in every of his victims to view Kemeys Folly in South Wales which appeared on Channel 4‘s Grand Designs in 2009 and is at present available on the market for £1.85m.

Perry informed the widow he was shopping for stables the place she may have a rent-free lodge to reside the remainder of her life within the Gloucestershire countryside.

Prosecutor Emma Harris informed a jury: ‘Layne Perry is a fraudster, somebody who units out to dupe and cheat folks whom he first befriends.

‘He gained their belief by portraying an air of success and affluence, suggesting to them that he lives a lifetime of luxurious and extra which might imply their cash could be secure with him.’

During his six-week fraud trial at Cardiff Crown Court, Perry informed the prosecuting barrister: ‘I earn extra money than you do.’

Perry claims to have labored for service provider bankers Close Brothers and fee processing firm Global Payments UK. He informed the court docket he makes £80,000-a-year as an expert gambler.

But the jury heard his fundamental supply of revenue was a £2,000-a-month allowance from his aged mom.

The proceedings have been briefly halted after Perry was caught eradicating official court docket lists pinned to note boards contained in the constructing. He informed the choose he wished them as an ‘aide-memoire’ for the ebook he’s writing.

Perry, of South Kensington, London, was discovered responsible of 23 expenses of fraud involving £275,000 of his victims’ cash and loans taken out of their names.

Prosecutor Ms Harris informed how Perry befriended Charles Gwilliam and his spouse Val at livery stables in Bridgend, South Wales, the place they saved three horses.

She mentioned: ‘Perry took out loans of their identify and utilized for bank cards of their identify. He portrayed himself because the Gwilliams to make a achieve of roughly £76,000 throughout the varied monetary establishments.

‘Perry informed the couple he was going to purchase a home referred to as Kemeys Folly close to Newport and took Mr Gwilliam to go to the property.

‘Perry requested Mr Gwilliam to surrender his job and go to reside on the property together with his spouse and Mr Perry’s associate Serena.’

Mr Gwilliam, 67, mentioned he considered Perry as a finest pal and that Perry had described him and his spouse as ‘like a second mum and pop.’

But he mentioned he was ‘frightened’ after discovering unauthorised loans and monetary agreements in his identify for greater than £130,000 taken out by Perry with out his data.

Delivery driver Mr Gwilliam informed the jury: ‘I informed him I knew what was occurring and I used to be contacting the banks and the police.

‘He informed me if it went to court docket his barrister would put Val in hospital or within the floor. I’ve by no means spoken to him since.’

Perry additionally befriended just lately widowed Sharan(CORR) Jones, 69, from Aberdare, South Wales, and got down to exploit her vulnerability.

Miss Harris mentioned: ‘He would go to her, take her out for meals, he would give her lifts to her caravan in Porthcawl. He would inform Mrs Jones he was rich and profitable.

‘In early 2019, he gained management of Mrs Jones’ funds. He knew that she trusted him and he abused that belief, utilizing it to facilitate his fraudulent actions.

‘He took management of her financial institution playing cards and her technique of identification, together with her driving licence and passport.’

Retired hotelier and hairdressing salon proprietor Mrs Jones met Perry at a Christmas celebration in 2018. She informed the court docket: ‘He mentioned he was rich, he took me horse racing. He lived the horse life and he beloved champagne.

‘I used to be going to have a brand new life. In my thoughts’s eye it was like one thing off the telly. I embraced it. I believed I’d have firm for the remainder of my life.

‘He cared a lot for me, I trusted him implicitly, like a member of my household.

‘He would take my letters unopened, I simply gave them to him. I did not know the way to use web banking – Layne mentioned he would set it up.

‘He informed me: ‘You do not need to do nothing, simply take care of your self.’

Perry siphoned £98,000 from Mrs Jones’s accounts and arrange a number of bank cards and loans in her identify. In all, he took £145,000 from her.

The conman was caught when police pulled over his top-of-the vary black 5-series BMW in Leicestershire and located Mrs Jones passport and monetary paperwork regarding the varied frauds all dedicated in 2019.

Remanding him in custody till Friday when he can be sentenced, Judge Paul Hobson informed Perry he had been uncovered as a ‘deceitful and dishonest man’.

Det Cons Ian Pring and Neville Evans, who led the investigation, praised the bravery of Mrs Jones and the Gwilliams in coming ahead to offer proof.

South Wales Police consider different victims could now come ahead.

DC Pring mentioned after the case: ‘In my thoughts he is a conman, he is a fantasist. He perceives himself to be a rich businessman, claims to be a millionaire, a helicopter pilot and naturally it is all only a lie. His complete life is constructed on lies.’