Sheffield man jailed for fraud offences

A Sheffield man who committed a string of fraud and theft offences totalling £31,000 was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Helliwell was found guilty at Sheffield Crown CourtHelliwell was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court
Helliwell was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court

Nathan Helliwell, 36, of Jeffrey Crescent, Deepcar, was found guilty after he deceived a long list of people, including a taxi-driver friend from whom he took £21,000, and the parents of a children’s football team, who paid him for a non-existent coaching course.

Helliwell also left a hotel without paying his £2,000 bill after claiming his home had been flooded, and ran up debts in his landlord’s name after opening a bank account and taking on a credit card without his knowledge.

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Sheffield Crown Court heard how Helliwell befriended a taxi driver in December 2013 who gave him money to launch a chauffeuring business partnership, which never materialised, before being duped into handing over money for a kitchen at his new home, which Helliwell falsely claimed he could purchase at cost.

In July 2014, after placing an advert online, a landlord agreed to rent Helliwell a room at his Sheffield home, shortly before going travelling around Europe.

On his return, he realised Helliwell had taken on his identity to defraud Santander Bank out of £780 and MBNA Credit out of £3,500.

And in August 2014 the defendant approached an acquaintance at Junior Foxes Football Club, Stocksbridge, falsely claiming to work for Sells Goalkeeping Gloves.

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The club handed over £300 for equipment and five parents gave Helliwell around £80 each for fictitious goalkeeping coaching sessions.

In October 2014 a long-standing family friend helped Helliwell by renting a flat for him. His outgoings totalled £1875 and he was tricked into handing over £4,700 as a bridging loan to buy materials that Helliwell claimed he needed for a window repair business.

An investigation was launched and Helliwell was charged with 14 offences of fraud and theft, which he denied before a jury found him guilty.

He was sentenced last Friday.

South Yorkshire Police Constable Sue Fox, who worked with families affected by the case, said: “Helliwell’s deceitful actions have had a profound effect on many of his victims’ lives and they are delighted to see justice has been served.”