‘Extremely mean’ roofer jailed after scamming elderly victims out of savings in £175k con

A scammer who owned vulnerable elderly victims out of thousands of pounds in a roofing con has been jailed for nearly five years.

Stephen O'Kane deliberately targeted very old people, charming them into trusting him, frightening them into believing work was necessary then tricking them into handing over their life savings.

In total, O'Kane took more than £175,000 from victims in Whitley Bay, Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland – although he claimed a gang of travellers he was working for took most of it.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the victims of the scam have been left traumatised by the fact they fell victim to it.

The first victim, a retired lady who lives in South Shields, was approached by a man from a bogus company called North East Roofing, who told her work needed doing to her roof and she paid £6,500 for it.

She was then visited repeatedly by someone called Steve, who the court heard was O'Kane, who overcharged her for unnecessary work eight times.

In total, that victim handed over £13,850 for work which a surveyor found was unwarranted and should have cost £1,200.

She spent her life savings and had to take out two loans, saying she felt "extremely embarrassed” and was left struggling financially, stressed, struggling to sleep, terrified when the phone rings, scared to answer her door and not the same outgoing person she was previously.

Former drug addict O’Kane was arrested but released under investigation and went on to target others in similar scams.

One victim, an 80-year-old widower, found O'Kane on his roof, who told him the chimney was at risk of collapsing.

Fearing for his own safety and feeling under pressure, the pensioner agreed to a series of demands for large sums. In total, he lost £126,000 but was prevented from handing over a further £20,000 when his bank intervened.

Referring to his victim impact statement, prosecutor Joe Hedworth said: "He says he felt betrayed because the defendant had befriended him. He feels taken advantage of and feels stupid and embarrassed. When he worked in the bank he was taught to look out for what he has fallen for.

"He was befriended and tricked by O'Kane. He went along with what he was saying because he was so friendly. He can't explain why he paid it but he doesn't like conflict and at the age of 80 felt he couldn't stand up to him.”

O'Kane, 38, of Borough Road, Middlesbrough, who has 31 previous convictions, including driving offences and perverting justice, pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud, possessing articles for use in fraud, fraudulent use of a vehicle registration and having no insurance or licence.

He was jailed for 57 months and will be banned from driving for a year when he is released.

Recorder Mark McKone QC told him: "This was very persistent and extremely mean offending."

David Callan, defending, said O'Kane pleaded guilty on the basis travellers offered him the chance to wipe out a £4,000 drugs debt if he worked for them and that most of the £175,000 from the fraud went to others, with O'Kane getting a small amount in wages and expenses.

Callan said: "He felt intimidated by the people behind him. he was the front man but was not the leading player.

“He would like to apologise to the victims. His drug habit is no comfort to them."