CONFIDENCE tricksters who targeted elderly victims in a bid to con them out of tens of thousands of pounds in a “highly elaborate” courier fraud have received lengthy prison sentences.

The “sophisticated, well-planned” scam preyed on the retired victims’ trustworthiness of police, as leading lights posed as officers ringing them to warn of “suspicious activity” on their bank accounts.

Having gained their trust, they would ask the victims to withdraw their savings from their accounts to hand over for “safe-keeping” to couriers who would call at their home.

Callers claimed in some cases that the rogue activity was committed at bank level and victims were told not to inform any staff or officials at their branches.

But in a bid to prize greater sums from the victims, above the amounts they would be permitted to withdraw, they would be asked to purchase high value items, including Rolex and diamond-encrusted watches and other jewellery, to give to the couriers, in lieu of cash.

Durham Crown Court heard the manipulative fraud, between September 2018 and February 2019, netted the London-based crime group £718,900, with one victim losing £452,000, not a penny of which she has received back.

Among the 16 known victims across the country was one in County Durham, who lost £25,000.

But it was Durham Police’s pursuit of those responsible that led to closed inquiries in other parts of the country being reopened, culminating in the fraudsters being brought to book.

The pair behind the crime, Sahil Zaman, 22, and 26-year-old Fawaz Miah, both from Camden, who have each served previous custodial sentences for exactly the same offences, were jailed for nine and six years, respectively.

Co-accused Noor Sharif, 20, of Torrington Place, London, received a 35-month custodial sentence.

Zaman and Sharif denied conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to conceal transfer of criminal proceeds, but both were found guilty on each county after a two-week trial, last Friday.

Read more: Pair from London found guilty after fraud trial in Durham

Miah admitted conspiracy to commit fraud at the plea hearing, at the court last August, as did lesser lights, 19-year-olds Frazer Abdulkarim, also of Camden, and Abdul Olayinka, of South Hackney, who both acted as couriers.

As both were aged only 16, and with no previous convictions when the offending began, each received suspended sentences.

In Abdulkarim’s case it was two years and with Olayinka, 21 months, both suspended for two years, while they each must undergo 30-days working with the Probation Service on rehabilitation activity days.

Judge Ray Singh told the defendants: “This courier fraud was an elaborate sequence events executed by a highly-motivated and qualified crime group.

“Your intentions were to target elderly victims and the purpose of doing that was, no doubt, because of their vulnerability and their trustworthiness in the police.”

Serious Crime Prevention Orders will be sought against the “leading lights” at a future hearing, while crime proceeds proceedings were activated, with a hearing scheduled in August.

Judge Singh also praised Detective Constable Gillian Coulson, of the police's North East Serious Operations Unit, and Dominique Russell, of the Crown Prosecution Service, for their “exceptional work” in compiling the case.

Both were recommended to receive commendations from their respective services.

 

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