Twisted fraudster lied to girlfriend about mum's death to con her out of thousands

Daily Record

a day ago

The 'born again Christian' scammed a woman who met online before swindling another short-term partner out of an eye-water amount.
A Scots-based fraudster told his girlfriend his mum was dead to con her out of more than £15,000 - despite her being alive and well to this day
Andrew New, 36, also swindled money from his victim to buy Champions League final tickets on the empty promise that he'd repay her.
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New, who now lives in a Christian rehab facility in Motherwell but is originally from Wirral, was spared jail after a court heard the case had gone on for three years, giving him the time to "turn his life around" in Scotland, reports Liverpool Echo.
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On Thursday, Liverpool Crown Court heard that New had been in a relationship with Sarah Haslam between April and June 2022. During these 10 weeks, he repeatedly begged her to transfer money into his bank account, as well as those of a friend and his "Uncle Joe", for a "variety of fabricated reasons".
Henry Riding, prosecuting, described how these reasons including having forgotten his credit card at petrol stations and wishing to purchase football tickets. Shockingly, she also gave him thousands of pounds under the impression that he needed to "make funeral arrangements" for his own mum in spite of her being "alive and well".
New "promised to pay her back in due course, but never did". This led to him pocketing a total of £15,734.65 of Ms Haslam's money during a period of only two-and-a-half months.
Reading a statement from the witness box, she tearfully said: "As a result of what happened to me, I'm exhausted both mentally and emotionally. I've told very few people what they did to me three years ago. I say they, because I can't say their name out loud.
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"This was a person I believed cared deeply for me. I now know I was manipulated by them. I gave this person everything I had. In return, I was controlled and coerced until they broke me. I've lost part of myself.
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"I considered myself a good judge of character. I now realise I was a pawn in their game, played by a first class method actor. I still struggle to understand how I let them do this to me. This person's narcissism led me to believe I could never do better.
"Three years on, I still live the trauma. I felt like I had ruined my life. A day doesn't go by when I don't feel the hurt, pain and shame for not recognising what was happening to me."
He was first arrested in June 2022, but it took more than a year befpre he even stepped foot in court. In August last year, New plead guilty during his first appearance before the crown court, but his case did not proceed to sentence until now due to ongoing proceeding against the two other men whose bank accounts were used as part of the scam.
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However, charges were dropped against them by the Crown Prosecution Service. New has four previous convictions for four offences, including being handed a two-year community order for fraud by magistrates in 2019.
This came after he stole more cash in relation to "non-existent football tickets" from a woman who he met on Plenty of Fish. He also tried to procure further funds from his victim, who he's never met in person, so he could "visit an aunt, who he described as ill."
Paul Becker, defending, told the court: "The defendant is sorry for what he has done. He did not know, first thing today, that the victim was going to be present. Having heard her victim personal statement, he is utterly ashamed of himself.
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"This is an unusual case. The delay, in some respects, helps the defendant, because he has been able to rebuild his life. He has moved to Scotland. He has been at a rehab centre for the last year.
"He works six days a week helping people. Because he is working, he gets free accommodation. He has been able to move away from this area, from obviously problematic relationships and the addiction he has had.
"He has stayed off cocaine. That was the blight of his life. He is utterly ashamed of what he has done. What he has done is disgraceful. He can only say that it was because of drugs.
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"He has an unattractive record. He has done his best since he moved away to try to turn his life around. If the defendant goes to jail today, he spends a few months in jail, he comes out on licence and he is back to square one.
"Everybody wants Mr New to be rehabilitated, to stay off drugs, to stay away from a situation where he is essentially stealing and to be a working, productive member of society. My submission is that the defendant should be given a chance today."
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New admitted one count of fraud by false representation. Appearing in the dock wearing a navy blue body warmer over a beige long sleeved top, he was handed a 21-month imprisonment suspended for 20 months with 180 hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days and a 12-month condition of residence.
"What you did has caused her very significant financial difficulties. She is still now, three years on, repaying monies which you took from her. That has delayed her ability to buy her own home.
"You are described as now showing insight into the consequences of your offending. You have accepted full responsibility. You had issues with the use of cocaine. You are now residing in a Christian rehabilitation facility. You now identify as a born again Christian.
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"You work on a charitable basis six days a week, paying for your accommodation. You act as a mentor. You have expressed remorse and shame and want to apologise to your victim. As Mr Becker puts it, you have rebuilt your life. You have tackled, or are in the process of tackling, your addiction, which underlines all of your offending.
"The mitigation in your case all flows from one thing. That is the delay in bringing this case to resolution, a delay of around three years. It cannot be said that the delay is attributable to your actions.
"That delay means that you can show that you have committed no further offences and allows Mr Becker to identify that you have turned your life around in that three-year period. That is very significant.
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"This is a case where appropriate punishment could only be achieved by an immediate custodial sentence. However, there is the significant issue in this case, which I am obliged to take into account. That is the fact that the offending is now three years old.
"Had you been sentenced closer in time to the commission of this offence, I have no doubt that an immediate custodial sentence would have been the only correct disposal. You are not being sentenced close in time to your offending.
"An immediate custodial sentence would mean a number of months in prison, the removal of your support network and, frankly, has the potential of unpicking the progress that has been made. You have come very close to going to prison today. If all the promises suggested on your behalf are not made out and you return to offending, this sentence will be activated."