Jail for man who swindled relatives
Thursday, 30th August 2001.
A HAVERHILL man has been jailed for 10 months for swindling his wife's relatives out of £15,000.
Peter Mitson, 47, of Camps Road, appeared yesterday before Judge John Devaux at Ipswich Crown Court.
He admitted five charges of procuring the execution of valuable securities by deception.
Hugh Vass, prosecuting, said the defendant had been awarded £1,356 compensation by an industrial tribunal in 1993.
This was after he was sacked by an employer for alleged dishonesty.
He was then out of work for a number of years.
There came a stage where he falsely persuaded Susan Pipe, his wife's sister, that he was to receive £100,000 compensation.
He made up stories about dealing with a solicitor and delays caused by a number of reasons, including someone committing suicide.
Mrs Pipe loaned him money to pay the mortgage, giving him two amounts totalling about £10,000.
Money was also loaned to him by his wife's family to pay for a trip for him and his wife Alison to a family wedding in New Zealand.
Mr Vass said that among the lies used by Mitson to get the money was that he was employed by Cambridge University as a £30,000 a year stress consultant.
Eventually, said Mr Vass, Mitson was taken to hospital complaining of stomach pains.
There he was confronted by Mrs Pipe's husband Michael, who had become suspicious about him at this stage. The defendant then admitted that he had been lying.
There had also been a trial, but Mitson had subsequently agreed to admit to certain charges.
Mr and Mrs Pipe had gained county court judgements against him for more than £43,000.
The defendant and his wife were selling their house to raise the money and meet the payment of the county court judgments.
Michael Epstein, defending, said his client was "genuinely remorseful" over the pain he had caused his wife's family.
"It has caused a huge family rift, but his wife is standing by him. He is now a broken man," Mr Epstein said.
Peter Mitson, 47, of Camps Road, appeared yesterday before Judge John Devaux at Ipswich Crown Court.
He admitted five charges of procuring the execution of valuable securities by deception.
Hugh Vass, prosecuting, said the defendant had been awarded £1,356 compensation by an industrial tribunal in 1993.
This was after he was sacked by an employer for alleged dishonesty.
He was then out of work for a number of years.
There came a stage where he falsely persuaded Susan Pipe, his wife's sister, that he was to receive £100,000 compensation.
He made up stories about dealing with a solicitor and delays caused by a number of reasons, including someone committing suicide.
Mrs Pipe loaned him money to pay the mortgage, giving him two amounts totalling about £10,000.
Money was also loaned to him by his wife's family to pay for a trip for him and his wife Alison to a family wedding in New Zealand.
Mr Vass said that among the lies used by Mitson to get the money was that he was employed by Cambridge University as a £30,000 a year stress consultant.
Eventually, said Mr Vass, Mitson was taken to hospital complaining of stomach pains.
There he was confronted by Mrs Pipe's husband Michael, who had become suspicious about him at this stage. The defendant then admitted that he had been lying.
There had also been a trial, but Mitson had subsequently agreed to admit to certain charges.
Mr and Mrs Pipe had gained county court judgements against him for more than £43,000.
The defendant and his wife were selling their house to raise the money and meet the payment of the county court judgments.
Michael Epstein, defending, said his client was "genuinely remorseful" over the pain he had caused his wife's family.
"It has caused a huge family rift, but his wife is standing by him. He is now a broken man," Mr Epstein said.
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