Fraudster kept scamming OAPS after his arrest

Simon Madgwick was jailed for two years.

A FRAUDSTER arrested for conning pensioners out of tens of thousands of pounds in a tax scam walked out of a police station after being questioned and went straight back to it, a court has heard.

Simon Madgwick engaged in a “prolonged criminal campaign” to defraud his victims, some of whom were in their 80s and 90s, by claiming to be able to get their houses rebanded for council tax purposes, which would secure them big rebates.

As part of his scam he produced fake letters purporting to be from the government’s Valuation Office and from a reputable firm of Swansea solicitors. In total, Madgwick scammed people out of almost £54,000 – much of which he just gambled away.

Sending the 34-year-old to prison, a judge at Swansea Crown Court described him as “cynical and ruthless” in the way he “exploited” his victims.

Tom Scapens, prosecuting, said Madgwick began working for a company called Eclipse 1-2-1 Solutions in 2013 and initially it was a legitimate business.

However from 2015 “any attempt at legitimacy ceased” and the defendant began a “prolonged criminal campaign” to con people.

The court heard Madgwick got people to pay upfront fees with the promise of getting them huge council tax rebates sometimes running into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The victims would then either never hear from him again or he would string them along asking for further payments so he could progress the claims.

In total, he scammed some £53,870 from his victims, one of whom was a 93-year-old man.

Madgwick was arrested in April 2018 and gave a “no comment” interview to officers. He was then released under investigation while police sought access to his financial records.

He was further arrested in January 2019, once more answering “no comment” to all questions asked, and was released again. He went back to scamming, targeting a man and a woman both in their 80s.

It also emerged that after his initial arrest he had started using his mother’s bank account to handle the money he was swindling from new victims in the hope the police would not be able to trace it. As a result the defendant’s mother ended up getting arrested though she was released without any further action being taken when it became apparent she knew nothing about her son’s criminal activities.

The prosecutor said police found more than 2,400 transactions from Madgwick’s account to gambling companies and it seemed the money he stole from people “was wasted on gambling”.

Madgwick, of Tonnant Road, Pentrechwyth, Swansea, admitted seven counts of fraud by false representation and four counts of making a false instrument. He has no previous convictions.

Paul Hobson, for Madgwick, said the defendant’s offending had been “deeply unattractive” and given the nature of what he was doing there was “perhaps an inevitability” to him eventually being found out.

He said Madgwick had a number of issues in his personal life including health concerns and anxiety and depression as well as a long-standing gambling addiction.

Judge Paul Thomas QC told the defendant: “This targeted individuals repeatedly and persistently in order to extract large sums of money from them. You claimed you were able to get refunds of council tax.

“In total, the figure was £53,800, including £39,000 from one victim who was almost 93, who I can safely assume would be vulnerable by reason of his advanced age. You would be aware victims such as these would be more vulnerable to people like you.

“The youngest you defrauded was 65 years of age. You told them they had received a rebate and it was imminent. On one occasion you said £100,000 would be available but in order to get it they were required to put down sums in advance.

“The 93-year-old you fleeced systematically over a period of time. I can’t conceive you were unaware of his age or unaware of his vulnerability. You were cynical and ruthless in the way you exploited these people.

“Even worse, after your arrest, you continued. Your next victim was 84. After that you were released under investigation and this time you targeted an 86-year-old victim. You continued on two occasions after arrest.

“We are told you used the money to gamble but that is of no comfort to your victims. They have lost their life savings and had the ignominy of being targeted by you.

“I am told you have mental health difficulties but those post-date these offences and you were clearly functioning in carrying out these offences”.

Madgwick was jailed for two years and told he would serve half of that in custody.