Dodgy market trader fled justice to new life abroad

FRAUDSTER DUPED BLINDS FIRM OUT OF £12,000

A DODGY salesman who used wouldbe customers at a Leicestershire market to dupe his employer fled to the Canary Islands to escape justice, a court was told.

Daniel Metcalfe was on the run for more than a decade after swindling the firm he worked for in Derby out of more than £12,000.

The fraudster had been due to appear at Derby Crown Court to face charges of fraud and obtaining services by deception in December 2009, but failed to show up.

Metcalfe, of Copes Way, in Chaddesden, Derby, has finally been forced to face the music. Twelve years after his original court date, Metcalfe, now 45, pleaded guilty to the offences.

During a sentencing hearing at Derby Crown Court, it emerged he had ripped off his then employer, Todays Blinds, by making up false invoices.

His deception involved meeting with potential customers at Donington Market, in Castle Donington, and at Burton Market.

The court head that once they had expressed an interest, Metcalfe provided quotes which he then claimed to the firm had been accepted.

It meant the firm starting to make bespoke window coverings for nonexistent clients, with the defendant pocketing the commission for each fake sale.

Metcalfe also hired cars he didn’t pay for and emptied a hotel mini bar without paying the bill.

Despite his guilt, Recorder Steven Gasztowicz QC decided to spare him immediate imprisonment in favour of a suspended sentence.

“You provided fake documents supporting claims for commission to your employer for blinds that had been ordered by customers when no such blinds had been ordered,” he said.

Sarah Allen, prosecuting, said Metcalfe’s offending cost his employer about £12,000.

“This was abuse of a position of trust, he was supposed to be working for the company, securing their financial interests, which he clearly was not doing,” she said.

She added: “After this set of offences, he visited a car hire firm in Wyberton, Lincolnshire, and filled out forms for a car and leaving a cheque for £80.

“When he was due to return the car he didn’t, the cheque didn’t cash and the car was recovered in Ingoldmells.

“He then hired a car from Avis at East Midlands Airport and did not return it.

“Finally, he booked a room at a hotel, drank the minibar in his room and failed to pay for it, leaving the hotel £425 out of pocket.”

Miss Allen said Metcalfe handed himself in last month after returning from Tenerife.

The court was told he has no previous convictions.

Kevin Waddingham, mitigating, said his client’s “time at large does him no favours at all”.

He said: “At the time of these offences he had just lost a reasonably well-paid job and as a result he experienced serious marital difficulties.

“He moved to Tenerife before this prosecution started, remarried and now has a young son with his wife.”

He added: “He made the decision to contact the authorities in this country to see if the warrant was still in circulation.

“He came back to this country and surrendered himself.”

Metcalfe was handed a 50-week prison term, suspended for 18 months, with 200 hours unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation sessions with the probation service.