Grandad and professional con man scammed hundreds from Leeds pensioners with promise of work
A grandad with a taste for crack cocaine and a long history as a con artist has been sent back to prison for ripping off three elderly people in Leeds to feed his habit.
Anthony Jarrett has more than 45 previous fraud offences on his record and was jailed last year for identical crimes.
He appeared at Leeds Crown Court via video link from HMP Lincoln where he admitted three fresh offences of fraud by false representation.
During October and November he cold-called three pensioners in the Seacroft area, aged 83, 82 and 80. He asked about odd-job work and the residents agreed to let him clear guttering and roofing.
He would initially request a deposit, then return on subsequent days and fabricate further tales about buying materials. He would then fail to return to carry out any of the work.
The 47-year-old, of Nowell Mount, Harehills, ripped one victim off the to tune of £645, and took £300 from another. He gave them a false name of Andrew Clark, and never had any tools or equipment with him.
One victim she had been left “frightened and angry” and felt victimised due to her age and vulnerability.
The court heard that he has 29 previous convictions for 84 offences - including the 45 fraud offences and 25 for theft and dishonesty.
Mitigating, Sam Roxborough said Jarrett was stuck in a “cycle” - that he is released from prison and goes back to taking crack cocaine.
He said: “It’s an addiction that has blighted his life. He is ashamed of what he has done.”
The court heard that he has a three-year-old grandson and wants to become free from drugs. He had also battled alcohol addiction for 25 years.
Judge Penelope Belcher told him: “You preyed upon some of the most vulnerable people in society. Plainly, these are very nasty and unpleasant offences.”
She jailed him for 12 months.