A con artist who exploited two vulnerable men, swindling over £18,000 from them, has been jailed. William Redmond, 33, of Walton Breck Road, Liverpool, appeared via video link at Liverpool Crown Court and received a four-and-a-half-year sentence for two counts of fraud by false representation.
Indefinite restraining orders have been implemented to safeguard both victims. In September 2023, a bank tipped off the police about a potential fraud, believing that the culprit was still on the premises.
Realising he’d been discovered, Redmond attempted to flee but was halted by a bystander before being apprehended by the police. He was returned to prison to serve an outstanding sentence while the police carried on with their investigation.
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(Image: Merseyside Police)
It emerged that Redmond had been defrauding a vulnerable man for a year before the bank detected the fraud. Initially, he told the victim he worked for the charity Marie Curie, then concocted other excuses for needing more money.
The victim, feeling pressured and threatened, was visited by the scammer multiple times a day, often late at night, where he was forced to go to cash machines and withdraw more than £10,000. Shortly after being released from prison in February 2024, Redmond tried to visit the victim’s home again.
In April 2024, another individual reported that Redmond had been visiting their home under the false pretence of being a charity collector, asking for money. The elderly victim was instructed to withdraw cash from his bank account multiple times during both day and night over a month-long period, ultimately handing over more than £8,000 to Redmond.
Redmond was subsequently charged with fraud by false representation in May 2024.
Detective Constable Alexandra Lindley said: “Targeting vulnerable people in their own homes and scamming them out of their savings is truly unacceptable. Redmond took advantage of the two victims who believed they were helping a charitable cause, when in fact they were feeding Redmond’s greed.
“Fraud has a profound impact on victims, not only financially but also emotionally. I hope today’s result gives the community reassurance that he can no longer target vulnerable residents.”
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