A CONMAN who targeted banks and building societies in York and elsewhere in a £265,000 “fraud spree” has been jailed for three and a half years.

Julian Mabbutt, 48, used passports and driving licences with other people’s names and his own photograph to withdraw large amounts of money from other customers' bank accounts between March 2015 and August 2018.

He successfully cheated his way to £152,000. Bank branch staff thwarted his bid to get another £113,400.

Mabbutt, of Cherwell, Green, Northampton, pleaded guilty to 15 charges of fraud and asked for 65 similar offences to be taken into consideration and was jailed at the Inner London Crown Court.

The offences were committed across the country including in York, Darlington, Nottingham, Mansfield, Leicester, Blackpool, Wigan, Stafford, Grantham, Lincoln, Scunthorpe, Peterborough and Hull.

Det Constable Matthew Cornell, who brought him to justice, said: “Mabbutt used false ID documents to go on a fraud spree across the UK, withdrawing thousands of pounds from customers’ accounts.

“Working closely with the banking industry, we were able to identify this criminal and bring him to justice. The sentencing sends a strong message to any would-be fraudsters that they will be caught and punished.”

Det Con Cornell is a member of the the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit, operated by the Metropolitan and City of London Police Forces and Home Office and funded by banks and card companies through UK Finance.