A Cumbrian businessman offered to help his friend with a timeshare company claim — but then took her money amid his own financial woes during the coronavirus pandemic.
Alistair Wells,58, defrauded the woman out of more than £2,000.
Prosecutor Lee Dacre told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court the fraud was committed over several months. Wells and the victim had been friends.
“Over the course of that friendship there came when he offered to help her. He offered to assist in a potential claim against a timeshare company,” said Mr Dacre.
Wells asked for money to be transferred to his account to pay for a law firm in Gran Canaria, and for other fees.
“The complainant did request receipts on several occasions for the money she sent to the defendant but never received these,” said the prosecutor.
The woman became suspicious, began making her own inquiries and, said Mr Dacre: “She found no such claim had been made on her behalf.”
Wells, of Back Lane, Long Marton, admitted fraud by false representation between December 2019, and June 2020.
Defence lawyer Steven Marsh said Wells had initially run a business from a premises in Bowness which shut amid the pandemic. “After a second closure effectively the company became insolvent and had to be dissolved. He accrued substantial debts as a result of that.”
He offered help to the woman but having received a large volume of papers from her, Wells believed the claim would not be viable.
“He returned the paperwork to the victim and also accepted he spent the money on other things,” said Mr Marsh. “He believed he was intending to repay all this at some stage.”
Mr Marsh said: “He expresses his remorse. It has been hanging over him for a long time, coming to court.”
Wells must complete 200 hours’ unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order, and pay £2,198.22 compensation to the victim.
