A conman attempted to trick a Leeds O2 shopkeeper into giving him almost £2,000-worth of Apple products.
Kevin Treen, 57, from Wolverhampton, ended up leaving empty handed. He tried to dupe an O2 salesperson in Briggate into thinking he was going to pay for a new iPhone and iPad he wanted 'for his missus' after inventing a fake name.
He was found out when the shop's boss spotted the man was using a fake passport. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how Treen travelled from the Black Country to visit the O2 city centre shop at about 10.30am on February 10.
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Pretending his name was 'Michael Francis', he said he wanted a £750 iPhone 13 and iPad, on sale for £1,200, for his partner. The convict claimed he was a builder and needed accidental cover for the mobile before showing the employee a passport, bank account details and an energy bill.
The passport was checked under UV light, with the salesperson believing it was 'genuine', the court was told on Monday (October 31). Prosecutor Robert Cowley said a direct debit was then set up to pay for the total cost of the gadgets, reports Birmingham Mail.
But a manager quickly became suspicious when Treen - of Hurstbourne Cres, Wolverhampton - failed to ask the staff member to transfer his mobile number despite not being an existing O2 customer. The manager then inspected the passport and discovered it had been 'tampered with' before calling the police.
Fraudster Treen continued to use his fake name when talking to police before eventually admitting his offending during interview. Stephen Hamblett defending, said, the convicted robber had been battling an addiction but was now drug-free.
He added: "He did not create this document. It was something he was given to use. It did not go to plan, he did not get the items."
The court heard how Treen has appeared in court 28 times for committing 69 offences dating back to 1977. Sentencing, Recorder Ash KC said Treen wanted to 'pass on' the items to 'someone else'.
He handed Treen - who admitted fraud - a four-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, and made him subject to a three-month electronic curfew requirement.
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