Teenage conman who mocked a judge is jailed for £110k swindle
A TEENAGE fraudster who dressed up as a judge in a mocking photo after swindling more than £100,000 has been jailed and told he should be ‘ashamed’.
Sam Cook boasted of turning £2,000 into £21million to scam family friends into handing over their savings to be invested on the stock market.
Instead, he pocketed the cash to fund a waterside flat in Plymouth, expensive holidays and a fake Ferrari.
He was caught after a police officer spotted the car was a replica and made checks on the teenager’s business.
Cook, of Okehampton, Devon, was jailed yesterday for 26 months after he admitted six counts of fraud, totalling £110,200, and driving without an ‘L’ plate while holding a provisional licence.
Recorder Richard Powell said claims the 1 -year-old was remorseful were belied by the photo posted on Facebook after his guilty plea. Cook, in a long wig, is seen making an obscene gesture, with his father dressed as a policeman.
The judge said: ‘I hear today that you accept responsibility and that you are remorseful … That is not mirrored by this photograph. You should be ashamed of that photograph.’
Detective Constable Dan Parkinson investigated Cook after seeing a local newspaper interview, in which he claimed to be a self-made multimillionaire, with a picture of his car.
Kelly Scrivener, prosecuting, said six victims – introduced by Cook’s parents – parted with money ‘under the false impression’ he would invest it, adding: ‘The police found he did not have a legitimate business … but pocketed the money and lived a lavish lifestyle.’