Fraudster cons vulnerable woman out of 3k in bed bug scam – Lancs Live

A bogus pest controller conned a woman with mental health problems out of 3,000 when she wrongly believed her home was infested with bed bugs.

Darren O'Connor carried out unnecessary treatments and destroyed the woman's furniture as he pretended to fumigate the property. The woman's home was left so bare she was forced to sleep on a plastic garden chair for three months after O'Connor sawed her sofa in half and took it to an incinerator.

The brazen fraudster then billed her for 3,000 and asked her to pay for a parking ticket he claimed he had been issued when he parked outside her home.

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Preston Crown Court heard in January 2021 the woman contacted two legitimate pest control firms and told them her home was infested with bed bugs and other insects. Rentokil and Pied Piper visited the home, but both firms said there was no sign of parasites and suggested the woman spoke to her GP as she appeared to be unwell.

Both firms also said if bed bugs were present the usual treatment would be heat treatment. They said pesticides would only be used in the most severe of cases.

However the following month, the woman contacted Rapid Pest Control, operated by O'Connor, on Facebook. She said she was concerned about bed bugs and dust mites - which are ordinarily treated by vacuuming.

On February 17, O'Connor visited the house with a man known only as John and the pair destroyed the sofa and took it away. They returned to the house on numerous occasions and told the woman she would have to get rid of 'as much of her property was possible', the court heard.

The woman shredded paperwork and put her clothing into black bin bags which the men took away to be 'destroyed'. She gave them a mattress from her bed, which was almost new - each time paying the men for their services.

O'Connor also told the woman the house needed a five hour treatment to spray it with chemicals and get rid of any insects which were still there. On two occasions he brought his children with him - despite claiming the house was infested and he was carrying out pesticide treatments, the court heard.

On May 10 the woman was visited by a social worker who referred her to the mental health team. As a result the woman realised she had been conned and contacted Trading Standards.

O'Connor, of Anstable Road, Morecambe, who is currently serving a prison sentence for conning an elderly man out of money for bogus roof repairs, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Customer Protection and Unfair Trading Act.

Recorder Daniel Prowse, sentencing, said: "You carried out what was largely unnecessary treatment to the house of this vulnerable woman and unnecessarily took away her furniture. You caused her to believe that her home was infested with bed bugs and insects.

"She contacted two legitimate businesses who came out and carried out thorough inspections. Both companies told her honestly - despite the fact it was to their commercial disadvantage - that there weren't any insects and she did not need any treatment.

"It was apparent to both of them that she was suffering with mental health difficulties and they both advised her to speak to a doctor. It was obvious this was a vulnerable and unwell lady. When she contacted you, you embarked on a series of treatments, or what you said were treatments, all of which were unnecessary.

"You took away her property and you persuaded her to pay you to take away her property resulting in her having so little left in her home she was forced to sleep on a plastic garden chair, even though she was unwell. This is, in my judgement, a particularly callous offence, targeting a vulnerable victim."

He sentenced O'Connor to five months in custody which will run consecutively to the sentence he is already serving.

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Fraudster cons vulnerable woman out of 3k in bed bug scam - Lancs Live