A convicted con man breached a court order after being mistakenly guided back into work by a probation officer who was unaware restrictions had been imposed.
Ralph Brook, 49, received a jail term in 2021 for three fraud offences committed in his role as a tradesman. Brook had been caught on a covertly installed camera targeting a 96-year-old dementia sufferer living alone and fleecing him of more than £5,000.
As part of his punishment, Brook was made subject to a 10-year criminal behaviour order aimed at stopping further offending and protecting the public.
Brook was banned from approaching any householders in England and Wales and offering to carry out work in their homes and also from working at any house other than his own.
But in March, police were alerted by a bank to a suspicious transaction as a customer tried to pay heavily-convicted Brook £5,000 for work after the tradesman had relocated from Brough, near Kirkby Stephen, to Carlisle.
Officers went to a city address and saw that work being carried out by Brook, who was swiftly brought to court and admitted breaching the order.
But Carlisle Crown Court heard of unusual circumstances in Brook’s case.
It was claimed he had not received a copy of the order detailing the restrictions. Neither had the order been logged with the probation service — which was tasked with helping him to rehabilitate — due to an administrative error.
Amid this confusion, said Brook’s lawyer Sarah Hussell, Brook was helped by careers advisor Inspira to gain industry accreditation and even print out business cards. He was also given assistance to advertise his services on the Rated People website through which he landed the Carlisle job that had put him in breach of the order.
That work, said Ms Hussell, was completed by Brook to a high standard and the customer had not provided police with a statement having apparently been satisfied with the job.
Judge Ian Unsworth KC spoke of a very unusual case of its type in which Brook had been helped in his bid to rehabilitate by the probation service and Inspira in good faith.
For the CBO breach Brook, of Tullie Street, Carlisle, was ordered to complete 40 hours’ community service. He will also carry out work with the probation service which will allow him to seek further education and employment support to ensure there are no further order breaches. The order remains in force.
During a previous court hearing, Brook’s solicitor John Greenwood had said of the experienced plumbing and heating engineer: “He has worked hard to get his life back on track. It is purely and simply that he hasn’t stuck to the wording of the criminal behaviour order.”
