Greedy Trio Duped Granny Out of £40k with Fake Rolex Scam
Two men have been slammed with a combined 12 years behind bars after conning an elderly woman out of nearly £40,000 of her hard-earned savings. The shocking scam began when Barclays staff flagged a suspicious £71,000 transfer by the victim, a woman in her 70s, back in October 2017.
Gardening Cover for a Ruthless Rip-Off
The nightmare started with a knock at her door from 56-year-old John Ward from Dorset, posing as a gardener. No real work was done, but he talked her into buying a staggering £38,000 worth of Rolex watches. Then, 22-year-old Francis Ward from Essex turned up for a further fake visit, again doing almost nothing.
Heartless Lies and Phone Terror
When the victim refused to pay more, 32-year-old Noel Ward from Wiltshire launched a relentless barrage of phone calls demanding up to £22,000 more.
“Noel Ward continually bombarded this elderly lady with phone calls, trying to wear her down into handing over cash to feed the Ward family’s greed,” said Detective Inspector Andy Symes.
“He even faked a heartbreaking story about his son dying of leukaemia to pressure her into buying more costly watches! When she bought in, he had the nerve to claim the watches were faulty and demanded a whopping £71,000 more.”
Luckily, Barclays staff raised the alarm before the victim transferred more cash. Police investigations revealed the Wards also tried to scam an 85-year-old man in Southsea, but he refused their con.
Justice Served at Southampton Crown Court
John and Noel Ward admitted their crimes on day one of their trial. Francis Ward was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud but cleared of other charges. On Monday 4 March, at Southampton Crown Court, John and Noel each received six years in prison and were ordered to repay £37,800 to the victim. Francis Ward’s sentencing is still pending.
This case stands as a grim reminder to stay vigilant — scammers don’t just steal money, they prey on the vulnerable and destroy lives.
