A LEATHERHEAD man was among four people jailed for conning elderly people out of thousands pounds for building work that was never carried out.
At Guildford Crown Court on Friday, Ermyn Close resident John Eastwood was imprisoned for two years after admitting his part in fraudulent activity in Surrey, Kent and London, which included charging a pensioner £36,000 to paint a ceiling.
The 42-year-old, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, appeared for sentencing alongside Paul Sanderson, 41, of Sarel Way, Horley, Emma Stevenson, 33, of Brook Road, Merstham, Albert Eastwood, 39, of Denton Close, Redhill, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons.
A sixth gang member, David Sanderson, 39, also of Brook Road, Merstham, failed to appear and is now wanted by police.
Police investigated in February 2010 after the family of an elderly Reigate man reported one poorly painted ceiling was all that had been done by the gang in exchange for cheques totalling £36,000. The victim died shortly afterwards.
Surrey County Council's trading standards service joined with Surrey Police's cross-border investigation team and the Reigate Safer Neighbourhood team to investigate the case.
Officers traced cheques to the accounts belonging to the Sanderson family in Merstham. Further investigation of their finances identified four other fraud victims in Surrey, one in Kent and another in Coulsdon.
David Sanderson, 39, his wife Emma Stevenson and brother Paul Sanderson were arrested at their homes in July 2011.
Forensic examination of items left in a victim's loft then led to the arrest of brothers Albert and John Eastwood that September and the 17-year-old boy a month later.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Paul Constable said the gang's members were "heartless individuals" who had deliberately targeted the elderly.
He said: "I hope the sentence handed to these offenders sends a message that the police and courts will not tolerate those who exploit other people's vulnerabilities for their own gain."
Kay Hammond, Surrey County Council cabinet member for community safety, added: "This gang of organised criminals are where they belong: behind bars. To first gain the trust of an elderly person and then con them out of £36,000 in return for painting one coat of paint on a ceiling shows an abhorrent lack of humanity. I'm pleased we could play a part in catching these crooks."
Albert Eastwood was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison, Paul Sanderson to 18 months and the teenager to a year in a Young Offenders' Institute for conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. Stevenson was given a nine-month term suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 140 hours' unpaid work for converting criminal property. All pleaded guilty.
