A convicted fraudster has been ordered to pay back £87,000 of the £136,000 he conned from his victim 11 years after being jailed.

The man, from Stevenage, was convicted of fraud offences in 2010 after conning a victim in Herts out of money for roofing work.

In 2009, he undertook work that was assessed to have been worth only £15,000 but charged an extortionate £151,900, and was convicted of fraud and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

Following his conviction, he was initially ordered to repay £15,000 to his victim. However, following a further investigation launched by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, new funds were identified as being available to the fraudster.

As a result of the hearing at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, July 30, the victim will now receive a further £87,762.69, after the man consented to money seized from him using a restraint order being repaid to the victim.

Financial investigation manager Nick Bentley, from ERSOU’s Asset Confiscation Enforcement team, said: “This successful outcome represents an 18 months long ACE investigation, chasing compensation owed to the victim of this despicable crime.

"Working with the CPS, the case was brought back before the courts, and we’re really pleased that despite 12 years having passed since the fraud was committed, the victim will now receive a substantial amount of money from the person who was responsible for taking it from them in the first place.

“This case shows that no matter how long time has passed, we will be ruthless in our efforts to ensure that crime does not pay.”

Specialist Prosecutor of the CPS proceeds of crime division Pennie Clarke said: “This man was a convicted fraudster, who along with two co-defendants overcharged a 69-year-victim £136,900 for roofing work in 2009. The CPS previously issued him with a £15,000 confiscation order.

“Thanks to an 18-month long ERSOU ACE team investigation in 2019, the CPS was satisfied the offender was in a financial position to pay back more. We were able to secure a consent order from him and deliver justice for the victim who was paid back directly as a result.

"Confiscation orders are for life, and we will always look to deprive criminals of their illegally gained funds by working with investigatory authorities.

“We were rightly able to deliver justice directly to the victim in this case. Economic crime is not a victimless crime and even after twelve years, the CPS will always seek to make sure that crime does not pay.”