A PLUMBER from Cuddington has been jailed for scamming 'vulnerable' pensioners, including an 85-year-old lady, to feed his £160-a-day cocaine habit.

Christopher Hankey, of Oak Lane, appeared before Chester Crown Court on Thursday, March 2, after pleading guilty in February to the charge of running a fraudulent business.

Prosecuting counsel, Anam Khan, told the court the 43-year-old had scammed 10 customers, all retired or semi-retired, out of £2,500 between April 2021 and January 2022.

In most cases, Hankey had done good work for them in past while trading as Empire Plumbing and Heating Ltd, of which he was a director.

Empire Plumbing was struck off the companies register in January 2021, but Hankey continued to operate as a sole trader, advertising his service on the internet.

The court heard in April 2021, Hankey asked a 76-year-old customer, with whom he had built up trust, for an up-front payments of £215 for a part for their boiler.

After receiving the money, Hankey disappeared, refused to answer his phone, and the work was never done.

Detailing all 10 instances, Ms Khan said Hankey had taken £85 from an 85-year-old woman for a new tap, which never materialised, and £450 from another elderly woman for a replacement shower tray - which he had damaged himself previously and for which he had already charged £250.

Hankey became more desperate in October 2021 when he hit upon the idea of approaching previous customers, claiming equipment he had installed in the past was being recalled by its manufacturer.

He used this tactic to defraud a 70-year-old semi-retired doctor out of £320 by charging a fee for a water tank which he said would be refunded by the manufacturer.

When Hankey never returned, the doctor called Screwfix who confirmed this was a lie. Hankey was asked to return the money, but never did.

He used the same tactic again in November on an elderly customer who knew and trusted him, the court heard, in relation to a £220 ‘recalled’ shower pump.

Around this time, Hankey began to use the false names ‘Chris Coleman’ and ‘Chris Williams’.

He also told one customer that work had not been completed as his dad had died of a heart attack, though he actually died in 2013.

Hankey attended a voluntary interview with Trading Standards on Monday, March 21, 2022, where he owned-up to his scams.

He told officers, at the time of the offences, he was unable to work legitimately due to anxiety and depression, and he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following the death of his father, and he was using up to £160 of cocaine every day.

Ms Khan concluded by saying Hankey had ‘abused the trust that had been built up between him and his customers when he was a legitimate tradesman’.

Defending, Peter Barnett said Hankey had acted out of ‘embarrassment and desperation’, had shown genuine remorse, and that all of the money he stole went to feed his cocaine habit.

In mitigation, he said Hankey had now been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, anxiety, and depression, was in receipt of benefits, and while unfit for paid work, he was fit enough to do unpaid work as part of any sentence.  

Mr Barnett said Hankey had not offended or used cocaine since January 2022, and that at interview, had not disputed any of the victim’s statements.

Sentencing, Judge Patrick Thompson said Hankey’s were ‘cold-hearted, dreadful, mean offences, with a degree of sophistication that would have left his elderly victims feeling especially vulnerable’.

“You chose your victims very carefully, having gained their trust from doing work well in the past," said the judge. 

He added that there had been 'an element of targeting people who were vulnerable, due to their age,’ and that Hankey had used the death of his father as 'an excuse, when it suited him'.     

Taking his guilty plea into account, Judge Thompson sentenced Hankey to eight months in prison.

He was also order pay compensation to his victims, totalling £2,500.