A father and son were scammed as they tried to purchase a motorhome on Ebay by fraudsters. Dale and Peter Horton wanted to purchase the campervan in October 2021 and saw an advert listed on the auction site.
But after transferring thousands of pounds in to the account of the supposed listed owner of the vehicle, Sarah Kirkwood, 33, the pair were soon victims of a "sophisticated" fraudulent ploy. Kirkwood and a Kevin Burke, 34, pled guilty to criminal property charges, reports the Liverpool Echo.
After arranging to meet Kirkwood following payments of over £12,000 into a bank account, Dale Horton was left in the dark as no one was present when he went to purchase the vehicle. Neighbours told him they had never heard of a Sarah Kirkwood at the address he was given.
Burke received over £12,500 in to his account from Dale Horton on October 5. The scammed dad tried to call and text the number he had been previously communicating with but those messages were unanswered. Helen Chenery, prosecuting, said: "It was at this moment he realised he was a victim of fraud."
Liverpool Crown Court heard that Kirkwood and Burke, who were unknown to each other, were approached by an unnamed person to deposit the money into their accounts. They both did so in the knowledge they would receive a a small fraction of the amount, which Ms Chenery said was as little as £150.
Both were arrested in January and charged two months later, with Kirkwood pleading guilty to possessing criminal property and Burke to transferring of criminal property. They both appeared in court on Monday, May 15.
The father and son had no victim statements read to the court and hadn't answered emails regarding if they had been compensated by their banks for the money lost in the fraud. The amount to be compensated to was £24,500, £16,000 to Dale Horton and £8,000 to Peter Horton.
The court heard that Kirkwood had no previous convictions but Burke had a previous relevant fraud conviction from 2012 that saw him given a 12-month sentence suspended for 24 months.
David Polglase, defending Burke, told the court that 26 weeks is the starting point for criminal property valued up to £50,000. He said: "The sum involved is far less than that. Less again because the money goes in two different directions."
He also noted Burke receives benefits and is unfit to carry out unpaid work. He said: "It would be unjust to add the punitive element [of sentence]. We do not know if the bank has compensated the victims. My submission is any application for compensation is appropriate in how they can pay."
Jo Maxwell, defending Kirkwood, said her client did not have any previous convictions, and that the ordeal "had a dramatic effect on her ability to work and in her life".
Recorder Michael Blakey told the court that, as both had pleaded guilty, they would receive credit for sentencing with Burke entitled to 25% credit while Kirkwood received full credit.
The judge told the pair: "Both of you were in vulnerable positions and you were contacted by someone in a far more sophisticated position than yourselves." Addressing Kirkwood, he said: "You were of great character, you have now lost that great character. That is punishment in itself."
And speaking to Burke, the judge said "you allowed this money to be transferred into your account", before adding "you were part and parcel of this enterprise". He told them both: "The message is if you do it then you suffer the consequences."
Kirkwood, of Cockerell Close, Kirkdale was sentenced to a 12 month community order and will undergo mental health treatment and complete 50 days of rehabilitation. While Burke, of New Ferry Road, New Ferry, was also given the same year long community order and will have to complete 20 days of rehabilitation.
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