Prison For National Lottery And Oyster "Confidence Trickster"

Southwark Crown Court

A “confidence trickster”, who duped small shopkeepers into handing over nearly £11,500 by posing as a Camelot and Transport For London agent who could install lucrative terminals in their store's, has been jailed for twenty-seven months.

Jobless James Anthony Keane, 38, of Cause End Road, Wootton, Bedford was described as “selfish” by a judge and motivated by “pure greed.”

He pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation between April 15 and and August 8, 2012.

Seven different London area shopkeepers paid him between £350 and £700 for National Lottery terminals and and eighteen paid similar sums for Oyster terminals.

Southwark Crown Court heard Keane, who was convicted of a scam involving second-hand cars seven years ago, researched which shops did not have terminals then telephoned them posing as a representative of the relevant organisation.

The victims were eager to pay a fee to speed up the process of installation and Keane had opened four different business accounts with convincing names, which the monies were paid into.

Judge Michael Gledhill QC told him: “Small shopkeepers are keen to have on their premises facilities to sell National Lottery tickets and Oyster cards and you knew more than anyone they face difficult times and making a profit is very difficult.

“If they are offered an opportunity to have these machines they will take it and you knew that and you knew it was not always easy for them to get machines in.

“It depends on whether other shops in the area have facilities or if the shops are suitable to Camelot or tfl.

“It takes time to apply for and get the machines and you took advantage of that with your knowledge, your experience and research.

“You contacted them and made out convincingly you were an agent of Camelot or tfl and could arrange for the facilities to be installed and expedited for a fee that was refundable.

“You were addicted to a lifestyle that you could not afford and that is another way of saying it was sheer greed.

“You are a confidence trickster. If you want money and can't earn it you persuade people, by criminal methods, to pass it over.

“You needed money for selfish reasons, to live a lifestyle you thought you were entitled to and committed this offence with a great deal of preparation and sophistication.”