'Predatory' conman spent 'charity money' on drugs

A "wicked and predatory" conman who pretended to be raising money for a cancer charity admitted "rinsing an old fella" when he was arrested, a court heard.

William Redmond told his two vulnerable victims that the £20,000 they had given him was for the Marie Curie charity.

In reality, the 34-year-old from the Walton area of Liverpool had used the cash to fund his cocaine addiction.

Redmond, of Walton Breck Road, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to four-and-a-half years in prison for his "relentless campaign of dishonesty".

Judge Garrett Byrne told him: "On any view your behaviour was wicked, manipulative, predatory and callous.

"At no time have you demonstrated any real empathy for your victims."

Prosecutor Simon Christie said Redmond started targeting his first victim in 2022 and went on to con £12,000 out of him.

Redmond was arrested after staff at a bank on Allerton Road became suspicious when they kept seeing him with his victim, repeatedly withdrawing cash.

When interviewed by police, Redmond confessed to "rinsing an old fella", said Mr Christie.

The now 65-year-old victim said: "He was driving me mad. Every time the door went it would be him."

Redmond's other victim, aged 72, said he had been embarrassed, "as if I had become a silly old man".

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