Convicted fraudster must pay pensioners £97,500

James Condliffe conned a Portsmouth pensioner out of her savings in a cottage home scam.

Margaret Badger, who lives in Southsea, had responded to ‘glib tongue’ Condliffe’s advertisement of a Welsh cottage home and care package in The Lady magazine in July 2015.

She believed she was ensuring she would be cared for as her health deteriorated.

Over four months she paid huge sums into his account and he even took her to see the land at Pen Y Rhos, Llanerfyl, Powys, Wales where he lived.

Condliffe, 34, also conned another woman out of £18,000.

He was jailed for four years and nine months after it turned out he never owned the land.

But now a judge has ordered the sale of six horses at auction and the emptying of his bank account to recoup cash. Judge Ian Pearson ruled Condliffe benefited by £102,000 and must pay £97,500 compensation.

Mrs Badger is set to receive £84,000 and the other woman £13,500.

Condliffe refused to leave his prison cell to come to court for fear he would be transferred to HMP Winchester.

The court heard he had previously been attacked at the jail.

At the hearing it was revealed Condliffe received a consecutive four-year and three-month sentence for further frauds. He cheated pensioner victims out of £280,000 by claiming to be an international show-jumper and horse trader.

He took cash from people for him to purchase horses, train and event to increase their rating.

But the investors were unaware Condliffe had purchased horses at well below the price quoted and he would keep the difference.

He also posed as the owner of a large property in Charing and invited prospective clients there.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard those victims may not get their cash back as the victims in the Portsmouth case were to get compensation first following his conviction.

Condliffe admitted 21 offences of fraud by false representation and one charge of using a false instrument between July 2012 and July 2014.