Latest news with #RobertMarkward
Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Daily Record
One of Scotland's worst conmen with 100 convictions strikes again on prison leave
One of Scotland's worst conmen with 100 convictions strikes again on prison leave Robert Markward, who specialises in conning the elderly, tricked nine pensioners by posing as a student nurse, handyman and electrician, swiping cash, purses and bank cards. Robert Markward One of Scotland's worst conmen has been jailed again - as a judge stated he "specialised in preying on the elderly". Robert Markward - who already had more than 100 convictions - was on home leave from prison when he committed his latest crimes. The 64 year-old duped nine victims by posing as a student nurse, a handyman and an electrician to steal cash, purses and bank cards from the homes of pensioners in Ayrshire. A man alerted to how he had targeted one OAP physically tackled him, but Markward lashed out by pushing and punching him. The serial crook was back in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday, August 12. (Image: Crown Office) He had earlier been convicted after a trial in Kilmarnock of 10 charges of dishonesty, theft and fraud. The offences occurred between December 2022 and March 2023 at sheltered and retirement accommodation. It was Markward's fifth high court conviction all for similar crimes. These included a six year sentence in 2005 when he targeted pensioners by claiming to be a priest and a hospice worker. Markward was jailed for 10 years in 2016. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He had claimed at that case police and prosecutors were "pure rude" and "telling lies" - but he was caught for one of those thefts after dropping his bus ticket at the scene. Lady Ross sentenced him to a total of nine years for these latest "nasty" incidents. She told Markward: "You have made a career out of crimes of dishonesty. You have specialised in preying on elderly people. You are prepared to be violent when challenged." Lady Ross said she had read emotional impact statements including one from the daughter of an elderly victim. The judge: "For a while she felt stupid allowing someone she did not know into her flat, but he was convincing and trusted him. "She is a strong sensible lady, but this event has shaken her confidence in strangers." Lady Ross remarked this set of offences included being at the same sheltered housing complex Markward had originally targeted in earlier offences more than 20 years ago. She further paid tribute to the "bravery" of the man who confronted violent Markward. The most recent targets of Markward were aged between 64 and 99. In one, he pretended to be a handyman called Stevie to steal a purse containing £350. Markward also tricked another OAP by claiming to be a friend of her late neighbour. A number of the crimes were committed on the same day at sheltered accommodation in Ayr. Other offences occurred in nearby Prestwick. Like previous cases, Markward had again insisted he was not guilty His KC Gillian Ross today said: "In line with his evidence (at trial), he continues to deny his involvement. "There can be no denying that, in part, the (pre-sentencing) social work report does not reflect well on him given his denial. Article continues below "It states that he takes no responsibility and, thereafter, lacks any insight."
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Serial conman Robert Markward jailed again for targeting elderly victims
A serial conman who posed as a nurse, a handyman and an electrician to steal from and defraud elderly victims has been sentenced to nine years in Markward tricked his way into the homes of nine vulnerable people in Ayrshire between December 2022 and March 64-year-old was found guilty last month of 10 charges, including defrauding and stealing from people and assaulting a housing complex Lady Ross KC said although the sums of money stolen were not great, the seriousness of the crimes "could not be measured in pounds sterling." Speaking at the High Court in Glasgow, Lady Ross said some of the people Markward had stolen from were particularly vulnerable. She added that Markward had committed "nasty offences". The court heard he posed as an electrician to gain access to an 88-year-old woman's retirement apartment in Ayr. He then stole her purse and bank another occasion he asked to use the toilet in a 94-year-old woman's home, having claimed to be a friend of the woman's recently deceased then disappeared, and the woman realised her purse had been taken. After the verdict the jury heard Markward had a string of previous convictions for similar crimes dating back to had accumulated a total of 38 convictions involving 106 charges prior to his most recent was jailed for defrauding elderly people in 2002, when he was sentenced to four years in prison at the High Court in while on home leave being prepared for parole he struck 2005 he was jailed for six years, having posed as a priest and a hospice worker in Ayr and Prestwick to carry out crimes of was released early on licence but within days he resumed his offending in Ayrshire and was jailed in 2010 for seven years after stealing from several elderly victims. He told a 75-year-old woman he was a friend of her son's and persuaded her to give him Sunday then stole a purse containing £120, bank cards and bracelets belonging to her was released early again but was jailed for 10 years in 2016, after he targeted the elderly victims in Clydebank. He was released early in the latest trial, the serial thief insisted that he definitely did not commit crimes against elderly people.A charge of stealing a purse in Prestwick on 27 March was not Stachura, the policy director of charity Age Scotland, previously said Markward's crimes were "sickening".He said: "I think the court has done a very important job in articulating how seriously they take offences of this kind, and hopefully it becomes a deterrent for people thinking of preying on the elderly."It's sickening to think of the number of people caught out by this guy."
STV News
11 hours ago
- STV News
Conman stole from pensioners while pretending to be nurse and handyman
A conman who preyed on pensioners has been jailed after being convicted of multiple crimes. Robert Markward posed as a handyman, carer, electrician, student nurse and friend of a neighbour to trick his way into OAPs' homes in Ayr and Prestwick. The 65-year-old has been sentenced to nine years in prison after a jury at the High Court in Kilmarnock found him guilty of ten charges of fraud, theft and assault. Markward first pretended to be an odd jobs man called Stevie to get into a vulnerable woman's home, where he stole a purse containing £350, a bank and store cards and a bus pass. He gained entry to a 73-year-old woman's home after lying that he was her mother's carer, then targeted a neighbour aged 90, saying he was there for electrical checks before stealing £35 and a bank card. On the same day, Markward told a 97-year-old man living two doors down that he was a nursing student to gain entry. Shortly after, he went to a nearby retirement complex and conned his way into another 97-year-old's home by saying he was the neighbour's friend, before stealing the woman's purse, more than £200 in cash, a bank card and personal items. Minutes later, Markward told another resident, aged 94, that he was 'looking for Mrs Jordan' and she let him in. However, after he left, bank and cheque books were missing. Markward was challenged by a 69-year-old man who worked at the complex, but he punched the victim and struck him with a gate, leaving him injured, before fleeing. Three days later, he got into an 86-year-old woman's home after saying he knew her and her husband and, moments later, committed a similar fraud in the same street to a woman aged 99. Markward pretended he was a council worker carrying out checks for his final crime, when he stole a purse and store cards from a 79-year-old woman who let him into her home. The offences were committed between December 2022 and March 2023. The jury heard after their verdict that Markward had a police record for 37 similar offences dating as far back as 2002. He was previously jailed for four years at the High Court in Glasgow for dishonesty offences against pensioners. But he re-offended while on pre-parole home leave and in 2005 was given six years in jail after posing as a priest and hospice worker to con his victims. Markward was jailed for seven years in 2010 after telling a woman of 75 that he was her son's friend before stealing jewellery, a purse holding £120 and bracelets owned by her grandchildren. Again, he was given early release but was sentenced to ten years imprisonment in 2016 for offences against pensioners in Clydebank. Markward, who served only six years, told his latest trial he was not the man pictured on a doorbell camera and elsewhere, claiming: 'I was picked out at an identity parade, but I wasn't even in the community.' Sergeant Shannyn Ross said: 'Markward deliberately preyed on vulnerable people in our communities for his own gain. His actions were despicable and caused distress and harm to those he targeted. 'I hope this conviction provides reassurance that we take such offences extremely seriously and will carry out thorough investigations to identify and bring those responsible to justice. 'Anyone with concerns about such activity in their area can contact Police via 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
BBC News
01-07-2025
- BBC News
Conman caught on doorbell camera before robbing elderly victim
A serial conman posed as a student nurse, a handyman and an electrician to steal from the homes of elderly victims in Markward, 64, entered the homes of nine vulnerable individuals between December 2022 and March 2023 to steal purses, cash, bank cards and bus was found guilty of 14 charges, mostly related to crimes of dishonesty, at the High Court in Glasgow and will be sentenced next the verdict the jury heard Markward had a string of previous convictions for robbing the elderly, dating back to 2002. Some of his recent targets - who are now aged between 64 and 99 - were in sheltered housing and retirement complexes when Markward talked his way court heard he duped people by claiming to be an electrician, a student nurse and a council one case he pretended to be a handyman called Stevie and made off with a purse containing £ another occasion Markham claimed he was a friend of a 94-year-old woman's neighbour who had asked to use the toilet after she invited him before making off with her purse. On 24 March 2023 he entered five properties at a sheltered housing complex in court heard he told one woman he was a carer for her mother and claimed to a man that he was a student later assaulted an employee who challenged him. He also committed frauds and thefts in Prestwick. Robert Markward's history of crimes Robert Markward has accumulated a total of 37 convictions since was jailed for defrauding elderly people in 2002, when he was sentenced to four years in prison at the High Court in while on home leave being prepared for parole he struck 2005 he was jailed for six years, having posed as a priest and a hospice worker in Ayr and Prestwick to carry out crimes of was released early on licence but within days he resumed his offending in Ayrshire and was jailed in 2010 for seven years after he persuaded a 75-year-old woman he was a friend of her son' then stole some jewellery and a purse containing £120 and bracelets belonging to her was released early again but was jailed for 10 years in 2016, after he targeted the elderly in serial thief, who was released early in 2022, told the trial that the crimes against elderly people were sickening and insisted he definitely did not commit them.A charge of stealing a purse in Prestwick on 27 March was not will return to the court for sentencing on 12 August.
