Fife bogus workman conned OAPs out of hundreds of pounds pretending to clean their gutters

Matthew Morrison, 32, appeared from custody at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for sentencing, having been remanded since February 28.

Morrison, of Laxford Road, Glenrothes admitted on various occasions in March last year, he entered the home of a 99-year-old woman uninvited, pretended he would clean her gutters and induced her to give him her bank card and pay him £150.

He also admitted going into a convenience store in Kenilworth Drive, Kirkcaldy on March 28, 2021 and using her bank card to buy £48.30 of goods.

Morrison admitted also conning three other Fife pensioners – women aged 85, 81 and 91 – out of £40 each by pretending to provide guttering services.

Sheriff Pino Di Emidio told Morrison he was going to place him on a structured deferred sentence for three months but told him he viewed the offences as serious.

He said: “I am going to place you on a structured deferred sentence for three months but I should make it clear that I regard these as serious offences and imprisonment remains at the forefront of my mind.

“But you appear to have, for a relatively short period, been able to stay out of trouble since release from your last sentence.

“This is a chance to improve your present position. It’s up to you.”

Sheriff Di Emidio instructed Morrison not to trade as a gutter cleaner while subject to bail.

A review hearing for Morrison was fixed for June 30.

Thank you for reading this article on our free-to-read website. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a subscription to our print newspaper to help fund our trusted, fact-checked journalism.

https://www.localsubsplus.co.uk/nord/dm/FFP/V