Conman, 42, who swindled couple out of £360,000, jailed

A fraudster who faked his multi-millionaire status has been jailed after conning a couple out of more than £360,000.

Damien Tideswell, of Hale Drive in Speke, boasted to the pair about his £3.5 million bank balance, but claimed his account had been frozen by HRMC.

The 42-year-old, who was a ‘trusted friend’ of the couple, asked if he could borrow a large loan from them to pay the fine, fabricating imagery, forging documents and even orchestrating fraudulent phone calls to dupe them.

He never returned any of the cash and even asked for more, as it later emerged he splashed the stolen money on gambling, holidays abroad, and lavish designer clothing. 

After the couple reported the matter to the police, an investigation unearthed a series of extravagant purchases and huge gambling bets.

Damien Tideswell (pictured), of Hale Drive in Speke, faked his millionaire status to a couple later swindling them out of over £360,000.

Analysis of his bank accounts found most of the money had been spent on betting, with £181,890 paid out to online betting companies.

He also forked out £22,000 on car hire, £19,000 on hotels in the UK, £10,000 on bars and restaurants, as well as £4,000 each on jetting overseas and designer clothing.

The fraudster was arrested following a warrant at his home In December 2021, and was later charged.

Yesterday at Chester Crown Court, Tideswell was sentenced to six-and-a-half-years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud.  

He was also convicted of breach of court bail after failing to attend his original sentencing date in an attempt to dodge justice.

Following his sentencing, Detective Constable Gareth Yates, of the Economic Crime Unit at Cheshire Police, said: ‘The victims trusted Tideswell, he was a close family friend, and when he came to them asking to borrow money, they wanted to do all they could to help him.

‘Over the coming months Tideswell fed the couple a web of lies, stating that he had millions of pounds in oversees accounts, but was unable to access the cash due to an outstanding tax balance.

The conman went back to ask the pair for more, as it later emerged he splashed the majority of the cash on gambling, lavish holidays and designer clothes. He has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison (pictured: Chester Crown Court)

‘In total he received 42 separate payments from his victims between August 2017, and February 2019, on each occasion reassuring them that he would return all of the money. 

‘In reality, Tideswell had squandered all of their cash on online betting and funding his lavish lifestyle.

‘As a result of his actions, the victims have now been left financially destitute, unable to enjoy the comfortable retirement that they had worked hard for all their lives. 

‘While we have not been able to recover any of the money they have lost, I do hope that the fact that Tideswell has finally been held accountable for his actions will provide them with some closure.’