Roofing con: Irish scam gang member’s airport arrest

An Irish national who allegedly skipped bail and fled Australia after conning a homeowner in a roofing scam has been arrested - after trying to leave the country again on a false passport using someone else’s photograph.

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An Irish national who allegedly skipped bail and fled Australia after conning a homeowner in a roofing scam has been arrested - after trying to leave the country again on a false passport using someone else’s photograph.

Michael O’Brien, 21, was convicted in his absence at Hornsby Local Court in December of stalking, intimidation and demanding with menaces $25,000 in a roofing con.

As part of his bail, he had to surrender his passport but he breached his bail conditions and left the country.

Police will allege O’Brien returned on a false passport and has been living in Melbourne.

Wanted... Thomas Humphreys, 32, is on the run .

Arrested... Irish conman Michael O'Brien skipped bail last year.

On September 3 he was arrested at Melbourne airport as he tried to leave the country again after a Border Force official noticed that he didn’t match the photograph on his passport, which turned out to be false.

Fingerprints confirmed he had been convicted in Sydney and he has been extradited to face Central Local Court today - but not before he served 42 days’ jail in Victoria after being convicted of more roofing scams.

O’Brien was brought back to Sydney after being released from jail yesterday.

Authorities are warning consumers to be on the lookout after The Daily Telegraph revealed this week how Irish nationals had been targeting Australia and ripping off hundreds of thousands of dollars from vulnerable homeowners in roofing scams.

NSW Police said today that the man appeared before Bairnsdale Magistrates Court yesterday where detectives from North Shore Police Area Command applied for and were granted his extradition to NSW.

Deported... Martin Maughan was convicted of four counts of deception.

Elderly Haberfield couple Guiseppe and Maria had their life savings stolen by roof scammers

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O’Brien was escorted to Sydney and taken to Mascot Police Station where the outstanding warrant issued by Hornsby Local Court was executed.

He has been refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today.