Support worker jailed after defrauding vulnerable people

A former support worker who exploited vulnerable people to steal tens of thousands of pounds has been jailed.

Ian Jones, 61, of Bedford Street, Rhyl, defrauded seven victims of almost £46,000 over a seven-year period. He admitted seven counts of fraud by false representation at a hearing at Mold Magistrates’ Court last month.

Jones was sentenced at Mold Crown Court on Thursday, 12 February, where he was jailed for two years.

The court heard that Jones was employed as a Learning Disability Support Worker at the time of the offences. In that role, he had access to highly sensitive personal information belonging to those in his care.

Prosecutors said Jones abused that position of trust by using victims’ identities to obtain credit in their names. Several of the victims were described as having severe disabilities, including individuals with a limited ability to communicate verbally.

Jones first came to the attention of police towards the end of 2020. The investigation began after one victim received correspondence from a credit management company claiming he owed almost £370. Officers discovered the account linked to the debt was registered to Jones’ home address.

Detectives from North Wales Police subsequently executed a warrant at Jones’ property. During the search, officers seized a number of financial documents and credit cards in names other than his own, along with more than £9,000 in cash.

Further enquiries revealed that Jones had used victims’ details to apply for credit cards and finance agreements. The fraudulent spending funded a range of high-value purchases for his own benefit.

Items identified during the investigation included expensive jewellery, bedroom furniture, a new kitchen and appliances, as well as the installation of a new boiler at Jones’ home.

Complex

Police described the case as a complex and lengthy investigation involving multiple victims and detailed financial analysis.

Detective Sergeant Rachael Edwards, of the North Wales Police Economic Crime Unit, said the sentence marked the conclusion of a significant inquiry.

“We welcome today’s sentence which concludes a complex investigation,” she said.

“Fraud impacts people’s lives across all walks of life and, as a department, we have safeguarding processes in place to assist in identifying and protecting the most vulnerable victims.”