A man who defrauded an elderly person out of hundreds of thousands of pounds has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.
Terrance McGinley, 44, of Toms Lane, Kings Langley, had initially denied two counts of fraud by false representation but changed his plea prior to trial at Carlisle Crown Court.
Police were first alerted under the banking protocol to concerns over transactions by an elderly customer. When officers spoke to the victim, it was clear he was vulnerable and unable to explain what the payments were for.
The victim, in his late 70s, lived alone with no family. He was befriended by McGinley in early 2019, who asked him for money to help with a court case, even begging on his knees, before receiving £5,000. McGinley later claimed he needed funds for a house sale in Ireland and promised repayment.
In total, £432,000 was taken from the victim over 11 cheques. Investigators discovered the money funded a luxury lifestyle, including designer clothes, holidays, expensive meals, and more than £1,000 spent at The Ivy in Kensington.
The second charge related to McGinley taking £1,230 for paving work in Workington, which was never started.
Specialist fraud investigator DC Robin Arrowsmith said: “These were callous offences committed by a man who identified a vulnerable, elderly person, sold him a lie and then defrauded him out of his life’s savings. Instead, the defendant was living a lavish lifestyle.”
McGinley was sentenced on Wednesday, September 9.
Photo: Cumbria Police
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