Shropshire fraudster receives jail sentence
A fraudster jailed for two years was a small-time conman who took advantage of people's goodwill, a senior West Mercia Police detective said today.
Detective Chief Inspector Alan Edwards was speaking after Owen Fox Roswell, also known as Nicholas Slocombe, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
Roswell tricked dozens of shops and businesses into giving cash for non-existent charities. In some instances, he claimed to be taking part in a charity run in memory of his dead child.
The conman used his scam to target shops in Shropshire and Herefordshire with premises in Ellesmere, Oswestry and Leominster among his many victims.
"Roswell went into shops with his false stories, playing on people's sympathies," said DCI Edwards. "He was a small-time operator who conned his way around, in most cases obtaining amounts of just £5 or £10."
At a previous hearing before Shrewsbury magistrates when he pleaded guilty to 28 fraud charges, the court heard Roswell told shopkeepers and business owners he was doing a charity run raising funds for a childhood leukaemia charity.
He concocted a story about the death of his son, while others were told his daughter had died. On one occasion, he said it was six-year-old twins with leukaemia.
Roswell was arrested in April on suspicion of committing more than 30 fraud offences across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Staffordshire by making a false representation. He was given bail but failed to answer it in May and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
"He went into hiding but we were confident it was only a matter of time before he was traced and arrested," said DCI Edwards.
"His photograph was issued to the media and we received tremendous help from the public for which we were grateful. In August, the Crimestoppers charity named him among the UK's 10 most-wanted fraudsters.
"Realising he was unable to avoid detection, he handed himself in at Shrewsbury police station soon after."
DCI Edwards added: "This young man used a shameful ploy to obtain small amounts of money from people, who may have been suspicious, but nevertheless gave him the benefit of doubt over his sob stories.
"I hope he feels remorse. He will have plenty of time in prison to reflect that his ill-gotten gains were simply just not worth it".
