‘Nasty fraud’ duped vacuum customers

WOMEN HANDED OVER CASH TO ‘ENGINEER’

A man who defrauded Wearside women by pretending to work for vacuum manufacturer Dyson has narrowly avoided jail.

James Lawson claimed to be an engineer for the company when he took money from the victims in the Sunderland area.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the 24-year-old’s first victim, a 79-year-old woman, was left £180 out of pocket.

He rang the woman saying the warranty for her Dyson had run out and he would come and service it.

Paul Rowland, prosecuting, said: “He told her it required an overhaul and mentioned if she put it in for part exchange and give him £180 she could have a new condition one, she agreed to that.

“He said he would be back in two weeks.”

The court heard how the victim never heard anything else from Lawson.

A friend of the first victim then contacted Lawson about her Dyson vacuum cleaner, before they became suspicious, and paid him £25 for a service.

When he offered to have a reconditioned unit delivered to her at the cost of £150 she said she would pay by card but he insisted on cash.

The woman said she didn’t have the cash available and Lawson told her he would put it on hold.

The third victim, a retired lady with dementia, owned two Dyson vacuum cleaners.

Lawson told her he would service both cleaners and then presented the woman with a bill of £300.

She had £100 in cash and travelled to the bank that same day and later gave him a further £200.

Lawson, now of Salisbury Avenue, Leeds, was accused of three counts of fraud by false representation.

Mr Rowland told the court how Lawson maintained his not guilty pleas and was convicted at magistrates court.

The judge, Recorder James Wood, told Lawson he had committed a “nasty fraud” and sentenced Lawson to 12 months in prison suspended for two years.

He read out a victim impact statement from the 79-year-old victim which said: “Since this incident my confidence has gone downhill.”

Lawson was also ordered to abide by a rehabilitation activity requirement, complete 200 hours unpaid work and pay compensation totalling £505 to the victims.