TWO North Yorkshire men who defrauded a vulnerable Selby man out of thousands of pounds have been jailed for a total of four and a half years.

Rogue roofers Steven Henry Loveridge, 41, and Michael Thomas Francis, 51, both of Thistle Hill Travellers’ Site, Knaresborough, targeted elderly people, often living alone and with dementia.

They were arrested in November 2015 after an 84-year-old woman in Thirsk reported she had been defrauded and forced to hand over cash to the men in Thirsk Market Place. The pair had cold called her in October 2015 and claimed they had done roofing work at her house.

An expert surveyor, appointed by the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Team at North Yorkshire County Council Trading Standards Service investigating the case, found the work was unfit for purpose and effectively worthless.

Investigators then uncovered other victims including a 86-year-old man from Selby who has dementia and was defrauded of £750; a 77-year-old man also from Selby who has dementia and was defrauded of £300; and a 65-year-old man from Selby who lives alone and has mental health problems, and was defrauded of £3,500.

Further afield a 91-year-old man from Northallerton was defrauded of £900; while an 86-year-old woman from Sheffield lost £2,900. Both also live alone and have dementia.

York Press:

The two men were charged with conspiracy to defraud but while he was on bail in August 2016 Loveridge went on to target a 72-year-old woman in Leeds and tried to defraud her of £2,800. He was charged again and remanded in custody in November 2016. Sentencing the men at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Tom Bayliss QC said they had deliberately targeted victims who were vulnerable because of their age, infirmity or mental capacity. The court also heard both men had previous convictions for similar offending. Francis was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and Loveridge was handed a three year sentence. Francis was also found to have benefited from the offences by £2,660 and was ordered to pay compensation to three of the victims. Loveridge faces confiscation proceedings under to take away his assets and compensate the other victims.

Speaking after the case, a relative of one of the victims said: “Prior to this investigation I never really knew what Trading Standards did, particularly the extent of their investigations and how they protect and care for the community. From day one they explained everything in detail and eased us through the investigation, keeping us up to date and visiting us and my dad. They really looked after him, helping to safeguard him at home and suggesting other services to help him to stay at home safely.”