Home / Crime and Justice / Man defrauds vulnerable victim to fund £14k drinking habit
Man defrauds vulnerable victim to fund £14k drinking habit
8 Apr
Summary
- Man stole over £14,000 from elderly dementia sufferer.
- Fraudster funded his drinking habit with stolen funds.
- Sentenced to eight months suspended jail time.
Michael Farran, 61, has received an eight-month suspended jail sentence for defrauding a vulnerable elderly man of over £14,000. The court heard that Farran used his partner's father-in-law's bank card over a six-month period in 2024 to withdraw the substantial sum.
Farran admitted to the fraud, which he used to fund a severe alcohol dependency. His partner reported the crime after discovering the money was missing from her father-in-law's account, for which she holds power of attorney. The victim, who has dementia, is unable to manage his own financial affairs.
During sentencing, magistrates noted Farran's mental health struggles, which were reportedly exacerbated by witnessing gunman Derrick Bird in 2010 and the tragic deaths of friends in a house fire in 2022. Farran has since begun addressing his issues, engaging with his GP, and has managed to repay a small portion of the debt.
Farran was ordered to wear an alcohol monitoring tag for 120 days and must repay the outstanding £13,570 to his victim. His eight-month sentence was suspended for two years.
