Scarborough pair jailed for conning Bridlington pensioner out of nearly £200,000
The couple stole £196,000, the life savings of their victim.
A husband and wife have been sentenced to a combined total of 9 years 6 months behind bars.
Steven Kantecki (43) and Sarah Kantecki (39) of Ramshill Road, Scarborough appeared at Hull Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday 21 July) for sentencing after a jury found them both guilty of theft.
Sarah Kantecki was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
The court heard how the duo deceptively stole a vulnerable elderly man’s life’s savings.
The Kantecki’s manipulated their victim, after leering the man into a false sense of security that they were two people he could count on and trust as his carers.
Over the course of an eleven-month period, the couple stole £196,000 from their victim. In that time the Kantecki’s overindulged at the elderly man’s expense by buying excessive amounts of designer goods.
Showing no regret for their actions, the duo pleaded not guilty resulting in the elderly victim’s family having to withstand the details of their crime at trial.
Detective Sergeant David Porteus said:
“The only place the Kantecki’s deserve to be is behind bars, so today’s sentencing is welcomed.
“Fraud can be an extremely distressing offence to become a victim of, especially when the level of offending is of this magnitude.
“I hope that today’s result will provide the victim’s family with some comfort in knowing that they can no longer cause harm to vulnerable people in the community.
“Sometimes people may feel embarrassed that they fell for a ‘scam’ and choose not to report fraud or seek advice about it.
“Please remember that anyone can be a victim of fraud. Fraudsters constantly reinvent themselves to find new ways of tricking people.
“If you think you might have been a victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud by visiting actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. Alternatively, call Humberside Police on 101. In an emergency or if a crime is in progress, dial 999."