A MAN has been jailed after a series of 'despicable' fraud offences against elderly and vulnerable victims.

Dean Lee Davies, of Old Kerry Road in Newtown, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Thursday for sentence.

The 28-year-old, formerly of Mostyn, had previously admitted five counts of fraud by false representation in the Denbighshire area.

Philip Clemo, prosecuting, told the court the offences took place over a number of months in 2018 after Davies befriended Joshua Blackshaw, a man with learning difficulties, and "bullied him" into taking his elderly grandparents' bank cards.

Davies then used the cards to withdraw cash and buy items for himself.

The total stolen across the several accounts he got access to was just over £8,000 - and he had attempted to take over £1,000 more but was unsuccessful.

At the time of the fraud, victims Howard and Mildred Blackshaw were in their 80's.

Both had difficulties of their own and their grandson was trusted to take their cards to do shopping for them.

In August of 2018 it was discovered that the couple's bank cards were missing and checks on their statements revealed numerous transactions and withdrawals that they did not authorise.

Among the transactions were payments for perfume, iTunes, train tickets, groceries, car repairs - even a subscription to a porn website.

Detectives carried out an investigation and it was proved the defendant had been responsible; being sighted on CCTV withdrawing cash on one occasion, using his email to subscribe to the porn site and having fast food paid for with the accounts sent to his girlfriend's home among the transactions examined.

When asked by his girlfriend where his money was coming from - him being on benefits - he told her "mind your own f****** business," the court heard.

Howard Blackshaw died shortly after the offences took place.

Police spoke to Joshua Blackshaw and he told them he'd initially had a good relationship with the defendant.

But then he'd asked him to take his grandparents' cards and he had become scared of Davies, fearing what would happen if he refused.

When police arrested Davies, he tried to blame Joshua Blackshaw.

Mr Clemo told the court the defendant had been convicted in 2019 for similar offences committed between 2015 and 2016, in which he used his former employees' bank cards to take cash and pay for fuel.

Simon Killeen, defending, told the court his client served in the Army for a number of years and did two tours of Afghanistan.

He takes medication to deal with PTSD relating to his service in Afghanistan - a lot of which relates to depression, the court heard.

Judge Niclas Parry told the defendant: "This was despicable offending - you knew this man was vulnerable and he had been entrusted with the cards by his grandparents because they were vulnerable.

"Having previously committed fraud offences, you saw your chance. "You bullied the grandson, spent £8,000 and attempted to spend another £1,300 on iTunes, perfume, pornography... nothing of necessity.

"This was an abuse of friendship and it involved pressure and intimidation."

Judge Parry handed Davies a 12 month custodial sentence on each of the five fraud offences, to run concurrently.

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