Men from Leighton Buzzard sentenced for £200k fraud targeting vulnerable victims
The pair posed as workmen to scam people across five counties.
Two men from Leighton Buzzard have been sentenced for conning nearly £200,000 out of 29 people, including pensioners and vulnerable members of the community.
Johnny Ward, 24, and Bernard Mongan, 31, were convicted at Luton Crown Court on 16th January 2024 after pleading guilty to a collective 34 counts of fraud.
According to Bedfordshire Police, the pair operated between 2020 and 2022 and posed as workmen offering to carry out repairs at people’s homes. Under the guise of several false businesses, they cold-called properties before entering homes and stealing money, driving victims to cash points, or demanding bank transfers to 16 accounts they controlled.
The police investigation revealed that the pair carried out fraud across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey and Essex.
Ward, of Slapton Road, Little Billington, Leighton Buzzard, was sentenced in his absence to two years and nine months for 24 counts. Bedfordshire Police confirmed Ward failed to attend court, and officers are now working to locate him.
Meanwhile, Mongan, of the same address, was sentenced to 14 months suspended for two years for 10 counts.
Detective Sergeant Ann Ward from Bedfordshire Police’s Serious Fraud Investigation Unit said:
“Ward and Mongan deliberately targeted members of our community, exploiting trust for their own financial gain.
“Their actions caused significant distress and hardship to victims.
“We will continue to pursue those who commit fraud and bring them to justice."
Victims of fraud are encouraged to report crimes and concerns.