Bromyard man admits fraud (From Hereford Times)

Bromyard man admits fraud

3:59pm Thursday 12th January 2012 in Bromyard

AN odd-job man from Bromyard has been jailed for charging an elderly doctor £495 to trim three bushes in his garden.

Joseph Carter, 25, called at the doctor's home asking if he wanted any gardening work done.

The doctor, 74, who was suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s, asked him to cut down an overgrown hedge in the garden of his home at Abergavenny.

But a court heard Carter clipped just three bushes, then handed over a bill for £495, before driving off.

Prosecutor Steven Donoghue said: “Luckily an eagle-eyed neighbour kept her eye on Carter and noted down his registration number.

“Carter's visit was in his diary and a bank withdrawal slip in the sum of £500 was also found.”

Father-of-two Carter, of Ballhurst Road, admitted fraud and asked for a similar charge to be taken into consideration.

John Dyer, defending at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, said Carter had left school without qualifications and had made a living by carrying out odd jobs and gardening.

He said: “He was tempted to over price and to ask for money for a job he had not done.”

Judge Eleri Rees jailed Carter for 10 weeks.