South Yorkshire fraudster jailed for string of offences targeting vulnerable victims

A prolific fraudster who targeted a string of vulnerable victims in Barnsley has been jailed for 48 weeks.
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Lee Turton, 40, of Underwood Avenue, Kendray, committed 10 offences in Darfield on 28 March and 19 May this year.

The court heard that at around 11pm on 28 March, Turton knocked on a door in Darfield. When the victim answered, he asked to be paid for guttering work he had completed at the address. The victim, having had no work carried out, asked him to leave and called police.

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Over the next hour, Turton visited five other addresses in the area asking for money, making various claims including not having enough money to pay for a taxi home and that he had broken down and needed money for fuel.

Lee Turton has been jailed.Lee Turton has been jailed.
Lee Turton has been jailed.

At around 11pm on 19 May Turton visited a further four houses in the Darfield area asking for money. Again he made claims about needing money for a taxi or said that he had undertaken work at their property.

Turton admitted 10 counts of fraud at Sheffield Magistrates Court on Wednesday 15 July.

PC Will Oya, the investigating officer, said: “Turton is a persistent offender who systematically targeted a number of vulnerable and elderly victims late in the evening.

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“Offences such as this can have a lasting impact on the victims, and I hope this result provides reassurance that South Yorkshire Police will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice and protect the most vulnerable members of our communities."