Brother claims man guilty of conning elderly was ‘innocent’
MAN CONVICTED AND JAILED FOR NINE YEARS DIED OF CANCER IN 2021
A ‘ROGUE’ Ealing trader who died behind bars after scamming the elderly was innocent, claims his brother.
Patrick Cleere was jailed for nine years in 2019 after the Inner Crown Court found him guilty of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.
Brother William and cousin Timothy were only charged with money laundering and received much smaller sentences after pleading guilty.
Patrick was part of a cowboy builder gang who pressured victims into paying for urgent roofing and drainage repairs, demanding more and more cash for failed and poor work.
The court heard how in 2016 the dodgy crew targeted vulnerable pensioners in Waltham Forest, Enfield, Redbridge, Haringey, Bromley and Essex.
Police believe the scammers made at least £388,000 in just six months.
An investigation by the Met and Trading Standards eventually brought a charge in November 2017.
Pensioner John Cleere, 70, claimed his brother Patrick “died an innocent man” on August 1 2021, was unable to attend his son’s funeral two months earlier or see his wife and children as he battled oesophageal cancer.
John said: “He was innocent because he was never in any of the areas, they had nothing to do with roofs, the leaflets, or being in contact with the elderly people.
“They got the wrong people. It was a living nightmare because I can’t sleep properly until this case is resolved.”
John admits Patrick was guilty of money laundering but maintains his innocence on the charge of fraud.
He shared a letter written by Patrick on his deathbed, which said: “I was found guilty of committing fraud in relationship to vulnerable elderly people.
“I am innocent of that charge and have endured a great deal of suffering, my current health condition is a result of it.”
When asked to show evidence his brother Patrick was not involved in the fraud, John could not provide any.
Though Patrick spent the last eight months of his life living in John’s flat, he was put under “unbelievable restrictions”, which meant he could not see family or friends.
His son Barry died of heart failure aged 45 after a battle with drug addiction, but Patrick was too ill to go to the funeral.
Two months later Patrick died with John holding his hand at Ealing Hospice in west London.
Then, on September 1, Patrick’s wife Rita died of a heart attack.
John was broken by the triple tragedy and said he would carry on fighting to clear his brother’s name.
Patrick also got an extra 18 months for a plot to nobble the jury during the 2019 trial.
Family members were accused of handing hundreds of pounds to potential jurors as they entered Blackfriars Court.
They maintained they were innocently “promoting candles” for Candleverse, a firm owned by the Cleeres. John said large sums were handed out because “the candles were expensive, made from pure beeswax”.
He claimed they were doing the promotion “all over the place” and it was a “coincidence” any money was handed over in the café near the court.
Despite John’s protests, there are no plans to quash the convictions.
Remarking on the crimes, Det Con David Saffery said: “These criminals ruined the lives of the vulnerable and elderly householders they preyed on.
“After a careful and meticulous joint investigation, the scammers have been brought to justice.
“I would urge anyone who has been a victim of this type of criminality to speak to police at the earliest opportunity.
“We have specialist officers who will investigate and support you.”