Two Scammers Jailed for Preying on Elderly with Fake Repairs and Police Scams
Sonny Maughan and Emmanuel Scarrott conned elderly homeowners across Kent and beyond. Posing as police officers and dodgy builders, they fleeced vulnerable victims out of huge sums with fake repairs and sham fees. The crooks were finally caught and sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court in February 2022.
Rogue Traders Rip Off Vulnerable Homeowners
Maughan and Scarrott cold-called elderly residents in Chatham, Herne Bay, Longfield, and other areas, warning that their roofs or chimneys needed urgent repairs. The victims reluctantly agreed, only to be hit with sky-high bills for shoddy work that often caused more damage. Some tried to question the prices but were pressured into coughing up even more cash.
- Additional offences spread to Hampshire and Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire
- Over £370,000 stolen in total through rogue building scams
Scam Gets Darker with Fake Police Officer Trick
Scarrott took it a step further by pretending to be a police officer in Lordswood. He convinced a victim he’d been defrauded by rogue traders and secured the victim’s phone number to pass to a “fraud investigator.” Instead, the victim was hounded with calls demanding VAT payments and extra cash for fake legal fees. The vile scam netted £32,500 from one victim alone.
Kent Police intervened after a suspected relative alerted them. Officers listened in on calls pressuring the victim, including threats of jail time at the Old Bailey if he didn’t pay up.
Caught Red-Handed – Phones and Evidence Seized
On 10 November 2020, police spotted Maughan and Scarrott leaving a victim’s home in Longfield in a blue Audi. Officers followed and arrested them. During the operation, three phones were seized, plus two burner phones tossed nearby.
Investigators found connections between burner phones and victims. Maughan’s personal phone contained selfies inside victims’ homes and photos of cheques signed to him. Scarrott’s device held videos of another victim.
Heavy Jail Terms for Pair Behind Elderly Scams
- Sonny Maughan, 28, Gravesend – five years’ prison
- Emmanuel Scarrott, 29, Basildon – four years’ prison
Detective Constable Craig Malthouse said: “Maughan and Scarrott committed appalling offences against elderly victims who they specifically targeted because they believed they were vulnerable and open to exploitation.
“In doing so, they gained considerable sums of money and caused a huge amount of distress. I am pleased that they have now received prison sentences. Although our criminal investigation has come to an end, our efforts to support the victims are going to continue as our expert financial investigators will now seek to use the Proceeds of Crime Act to deprive both offenders of the money they gained, and concealed, through the course of this offending.”
