How police caught British scam roofers James O’Driscoll and Johnny Baker
A pair of British travellers who were part of a home repairs fraud syndicate, which saw a man conned out of a huge some of money, have learnt their fate.
St George Shire Standard
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Two British scam artists who fleeced an elderly man of $42,000 for phony roof repairs at his Sydney home then attempted to flee the country will be kicked out of Australia and forced to pay back every penny.
James O’Driscoll, 20, and Johnny Baker, 23, were among a fraud syndicate called Jordy’s Home Repairs which progressively stole tens of thousands of dollars from a 72-year-old Bexley man under the guise of completing essential roof repairs in March 2019.
“O’Driscoll and the co-accused deceived the victim, claimed they would repair his roof and set about dismantling significant portions of the structure,” agreed police facts stated.
“(The final time) they requested $30,000 – the man, having no knowledge of repairs, placed his trust in what the males said to him.”
Officers finally confronted them at the man’s home before they fled and attempted to escape Australia when they were finally picked up by police, wearing Rolex watches and carrying bags crammed with thousands of dollars in Australian, American and British cash.
O’Driscoll pleaded guilty to fraud offences at Sutherland Local Court and was sentenced to a fixed prison term, which secured his immediate release from prison on Monday after eight months inside since he attempted to escape Australia via Melbourne.
His visa has been cancelled and he will be deported imminently.
Baker also pleaded guilty to fraud offences, dealing with the proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal group and was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment.
With time served since the pair’s arrest on March 9, Baker will be released and deported on January 8 next year.
Both men have been ordered to compensate their victim to the tune of $42,000 – every last cent they stole from him for the fake repairs.
The court heard O’Driscoll was unable to read or write and searching for work when he had his first fateful encounter with the criminal syndicate at a Bondi hotel in February shortly after he arrived in Australia.
“His mother is terribly upset about her son’s offending and asserted very clearly this was out of character,” his solicitor wrote to the court.
“The offender accepts unreservedly that he should never have gotten involved in this and that he exploited an elderly victim, and he is truly sorry for what he has done.”