A network of 12 have been convicted after duping a pensioner out of an estimated £775,000.

The victim, a 68-year-old man from Watford, ended up having to re-mortgage his home and was struggling to survive by the time the suspects were finally brought to justice.

The ordeal began when two members of the gang initially approached the pensioner in 2011 claiming to be able to fix his roof, which they insisted had fallen into disrepair, for a small fee.

The duo, however, proceeded to intentionally cause damage to the roof over a five month period, where they continued to make numerous unauthorised “repairs” by which point the victim had been ordered to hand over £98,000.

The victim was subsequently approached by two further members of the gang, the first claiming to be able to carry out repairs (which the police deemed as unnecessary), and the second posing as an HMRC official who demanded £39,000 in “unpaid taxes” before he would investigate the suspected fraudulent work conducted at his property and potentially recover the victim’s funds.

After agreeing to hand £39,000 of alleged unpaid taxes over, the bogus HMRC official demanded the pensioner of more money, being told he would face prison if he didn’t pay.

The group’s crimes began to come to light in February 2013, when a friend of the victim became concerned and contacted police.

A investigation by Hertfordshire Police’s Operation Manhunt division identified the members of the gang.

Speaking after the sentences, DC Kelly Gray, who worked closely with the victim to ensure the men were brought to justice, revealed the full extent of the gang’s crimes.

“Initially the victim didn’t believe he had been a victim of a crime, so we had to work very closely with him to make him understand what had happened to him,” said DC Gray.

“It may seem unbelievable to anyone hearing about this case that someone could find themselves in this situation. The victim is a well-educated, retired professional man who has, over a period of time, been continually worn down by these men and fed a series of lies. They were extremely convincing in their manner and told him his roof would fall down if he didn’t have the work carried out.

“The victim ended up having to re-mortgage his house to pay them off and in total we believe he handed over up to £775,000 to these men and by the time we intervened, he was struggling to make ends meet.

The convicted included:

-    Brothers James O’Brien(pictured), 49, of Croxley View, Watford and Michael O’Brien, 37, of Russells Rude, Cheshunt, were both sentenced to five and five and a half years in prison, respectively. Both were found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud.
 
Caged: James O’Brien. Picture courtesy of Herts Police.

-    Nathan Newman, 33, of Twyn Carmel, Merthyr Tydfil, sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment on being found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud.
-    Brothers Patrick Joseph O’Driscoll, 34, and Darren O’Driscoll, 21, both of Purkiss Road, Herford, were both found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud. The O’Driscoll brothers were sentenced to five years in prison each.
-    James O’Brien, 51, of Hagden Lane, Watford pleaded guilty to money laundering and was sentenced to a 12 month sentence.

-    73-year-old Arthur Smith of Croxley View, Watford pleaded guilty to money laundering and was handed a nine month suspended sentence.
-    75-year-old Alfred Strutton of London Road, Halesworth, Suffolk pleaded guilty to money laundering and received a 12 month suspended sentence.
-    Joseph Walton, 71, of Bassett Road, London, pleaded guilty to money laundering, receiving a suspended sentence of 9 months.
-    Robert Lee Norris, 27, of Calvert House, White City, London and pleaded guilty to money laundering and was given a 12 months suspended sentence.
-    Terry Connor, 46, of Australia Road, London pleaded guilty to money laundering and was handed a 22 month suspended sentence.
-    Terry Halford, 54, of Lannoy Place, Pellant Road, London was given a 15 month suspended for two years
Yet to be sentenced is John Tayo Wesley, 39, of Fitzneil Street, London, who pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and money laundering.