Fraudster Drained Frail Wheelchair-Bound Neighbour's Bank Account

"Appalling Betrayal": Singh

 A veteran fraudster, who drained his wheelchair-bound friend and next-door neighbour's bank account of over £15,000, has dodged jail and been told to only repay the victim in full if he feels like it.

Ex-school bus driver Michael Singh, 72, pretended to assist 79 year-old Arthur Goodwin with his bills and banking, but used his card almost daily - taking £200 a time from cashpoints.

He received a suspended prison sentence and was ordered to repay just £4,800 by Harrow Crown Court Recorder Nigel May, who told him: "It doesn't mean if you really are remorseful you can't continue to pay all of it.

"I hope you continue making payments after the four thousand eight hundred is paid."

The Guyana-born father-of-four, of Minstrel Court, High Street, Wealdstone  pleaded guilty to stealing £15,700 from Mr. Goodwin - who is now bed-bound - between January 12 and April 30, last year.

Singh, who has previously been jailed for fraud, received twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years and must complete 80 hours community service work.

He lied to police throughout the year-long investigation, even claiming it was not him when presented with overwhelming CCTV evidence of withdrawing cash.

His offer to pay £300 per month from his benefits until all the money was repaid was rejected by the court because it would take four-and-a-half years and stretch Singh's finances to the limit.

"This was a systematic course of dishonesty with a high level of breach of trust on a vulnerable individual," explained prosecutor Mr. George Heimler. 

Mr. Goodwin went to police on April 30, last year and told them he was on the brink of losing his home and discovered eighty-two withdrawals had been made from his Lloyds account in four months.

The court heard Lloyds will not pay him any compensation.

"He said his neighbour had been helping him out and went with him to Lloyds when he was unwell with diabetes.

"The bank sent him a new card, which arrived at his home a few days later and that was the last time he had seen it."

Singh was paid £200 cash he demanded from Mr. Goodwin and later 'helped' him pay his electricity bill and received another £1,000 to buy him a television, table and lamp.

He was arrested on May 22 and when shown CCTV of him wearing a distinctive jacket, which police found in his wardrobe, withdrawing cash he claimed to have bought it in a charity shop days earlier and was not the man filmed.

Singh's lawyer Mr. Dhamendra Toor told the court: "He saw the card on the table and took it. The defendant is willing to repay the amount he has taken."

Recorder May said: "It is an appalling betrayal of friendship. He gained the trust of the individual by being friendly and helpful.

"He's taken an awful lot of money of this poor man he befriended and the bank will not repay him.

"These were shameful offences," he told Singh. "You befriended a man older and more vulnerable than you.

"You assisted him getting a bank card then within days stole that card and used it again and again and blew the money on gambling.

"He has lost all that money at this stage of his life."