A prolific conman who tried to swindle cash from a café in Eastbourne by faking an injury has been locked up.
Granddaughter’s fake milkshake cut was a sham
Ian McEnroe, 62, walked into a café on Terminus Road claiming his granddaughter cut her lip on a milkshake cup the day before. He demanded £80 compensation for a car valet, saying her blood had stained his vehicle.
But staff quickly spotted the lie – no milkshakes had been sold that day. CCTV later caught McEnroe falsifying his story while already in custody.
38 convictions and more than 150 fraud charges
At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 15 January, McEnroe was found guilty of fraud by false representation.
The court heard the incident took place at 7pm on 19 June 2024. McEnroe, from Staplefield Drive, Brighton, has a shocking record: 38 previous convictions covering 192 offences — over 150 for similar bogus compensation claims against businesses.
Jailed and banned from claiming refunds for five years
McEnroe got 26 weeks behind bars plus a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO). This bans him from making any refund or compensation claims at food or retail outlets across Sussex.
He must report any relevant incidents to the police within 24 hours and inform businesses in writing about his fraud convictions.
“McEnroe has dozens of previous convictions for fraud by false representation. Working alongside partner agencies, we were able to identify him and bring him to justice,” said Sergeant Daniel Turk.
“We welcome the custodial sentence and the Criminal Behaviour Order, which will help protect local businesses from further offending.”
