Recorder accuses fraudster of 'breathtaking dishonesty'
Describing 42-year-old Andrew Evans as a "professional fraudster", Recorder Donald Tait said his dishonesty had been "quite breathtaking".
Evans, who committed frauds totalling about £50,000 while working as a car and double glazing salesman in the Westcountry, pleaded guilty to 13 charges of fraud, with a further five taken into consideration. "You left behind you a trail of dishonesty and destruction," said Recorder Tait.
Evans, whose address was given as a caravan park at Porth, Newquay, was jailed for four years and ordered to serve consecutively eight months of a 12-month suspended sentence imposed on him for similar offences in Manchester.
Prosecutor Jo Martin said that in January, 2008, Evans started work as a car salesman and committed offences in Manchester by taking cash payments as deposits on vehicles, telling customers they would receive enhancements and quicker delivery by doing so. He did not pass the money on to the garage and created credit card transactions to cover his tracks.
On May 23 last year he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 300 hours of unpaid work and a curfew, for five offences of theft and six of fraud.
By that time he had already moved to Cornwall and, on the recommendation of recruitment consultants, started working for Wards. On the very day of sentencing he initiated by telephone one of his frauds against that company.
Miss Martin stressed that customers had not lost out, but it cost Wards £47,500 over a four month period. He left of his own accord and, while on bail, obtained work with Falmouth Garages, again on the recommendation of consultants. He was sacked after a month and the company lost £610.
Last March Evans began working for Newton Abbot-based Launa Windows, describing himself as an asset to any sales team.
The job ended in April but Evans continued to represent himself as an employee, and one of the women he defrauded was aged 74.
Defence counsel Iain Leadbetter accepted that Evans had a bad record and was guilty of "rank dishonesty" but asked that he be given credit for having pleaded guilty and the time he had already spent in jail.
Recorder Tait told Evans that committing fraud seemed to be ingrained in him.
