Man jailed for £384,000 fraud on grandparents
AMAN who ripped off his grandparents to the tune of nearly £400,000 over the course of a decade has been jailed.
Daniel Tilden, 31, committed an “appalling” con on his elderly relatives, police said.
At a sentencing hearing at Swindon Crown Court, Tilden, of no fixed address, was jailed for three years and nine months.
The court heard that Tilden manipulated his grandparents, who were 79 and 81, into handing him a total of £384,000.
His campaign of manipulation began in 2013 and saw him frequently visit his grandparents to coerce them into handing him cash.
Wiltshire Police said he lied to them in a series of schemes, saying he needed the money for a new car, prescriptions and even on one occasion claiming it was for private sector cancer treatment.
For a period he took his vulnerable grandfather to a bank to withdraw thousands of pounds at a time.
And after this was stopped by concerned staff at the bank he began coercing his grandfather to obtain cashback at local supermarkets and asking him to meet him at cashpoints to make withdrawals.
Tilden was arrested in November last year and bailed while enquiries continued, repeatedly breaking conditions requiring him not to visit his grandparents.
He was then re-arrested and charged with controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship under section 76 of the Serious Crime Act, having manipulated his grandparents into giving him a total of £384,077.
In a victim impact statement, his grandfather said he was scared to say no to Tilden, describing his home life as like being “under siege” due to the constant visits.
Pc Sarah Hardwidge, based in Devizes, said: “This was a complex investigation which the Devizes Neighbourhood Policing Team worked on for three years. It was through partnership working with medical professionals, adult social care, banks and local shops that we were able to gather the evidence required and safeguard the victims.
“Daniel’s offending behaviour towards his grandparents was appalling. He took advantage of their good nature and has caused them lasting distress in their own home.
“We would also like to thank the CPS and the courts for recognising the seriousness of this crime which is reflected in the sentence given.”
Tilden was also given a 10-year restraining order.