Electrician tricked pensioner out of £25k

AN electrician tricked an 87-year-old man into handing over £25,000 for work that was never completed.

Robert Vize was hired by James Fisher to carry out electrical work at his home.

But the 31-year-old repeatedly took the OAP to the bank to withdraw money and gave him written receipts for work that was never carried out.

Vize also pocketed cash from others including £600 from James Higgins; £950 from Susan Goldie; £1,800 from William and Mary Robertson, and £900 from Richard and Angela Murphy.

After a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court, Vize, from Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire, was convicted of five fraud charges. Mr Fisher, who has since suffered a stroke and has mobility issues, was not able to attend court to give evidence but the jury heard his police statement.

The pensioner, of Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, told officers: ‘Robert kept taking more and more money. Sometimes he would take me in the car to the bank.’ He added that Vize would ‘always wait outside’.

The court also heard from Mr Higgins, 81, of Ayr, who had a light switch changed by Vize. He said the electrician claimed the house needed re-wired.

The OAP paid Vize around £400 for a fuse board, which he said was only partially fitted, and £300 for rewiring work but ‘never saw him again’.

Vize will return to the dock next month when he will be sentenced by Sheriff Alan MacKenzie.

‘He would take me to the bank’