A tradesman from Warrington who invested money into cryptocurrency after defrauding his victims out of more than £27,000 has been jailed.
Oliver Booth appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday 23 July where he was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
The 42-year-old, of Southworth Avenue, Warrington, had previously pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by false representation.
During the hearing, the court heard how Booth was employed as a groundworker and undertook work for five victims between 2021 and 2022, agreeing to complete gardening work on their homes.
Booth asked his victims for deposits in advance so he could purchase supplies and materials.
The victims handed over their money, but Booth spent it on cryptocurrency, drugs, and alcohol. When they tried to contact him, they were met with excuses, and the work was never carried out.
The incident was reported to Cheshire Police and Booth was subsequently arrested on Friday 9 December 2022. He was later charged with five counts of fraud by false representation.
Following his sentencing, Police Constable Haddon Hunter said: “Booth has proven himself to be a prolific liar and his actions are down to nothing but greed.
“During his crime spree, he managed to steal £27,544.24 from people who had trusted him to complete work on their homes. Instead, their money was spent funding Booth’s cryptocurrency investments, drugs, and alcohol.
“He thought he could go under the radar, and even following his arrest, Booth continued to tell blatant lies to officers.
“Thankfully, he has now been held accountable and is facing the consequences of his actions.”
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