Fraudster jailed for cold caller offences

Naushad Fazal was arrested after police received a report that someone was calling at houses in the West Park area of Leeds and under the guise of offering help was requesting personal information about them including telephone numbers and postcodes.

Inquiries revealed he had produced an identity card at a number of properties telling them he was either from a Government agency or carrying out work for such an agency and collecting a small amount of money which could stop cold callers.

He told police later he intended it as a genuine business and did not think he had done anything wrong because he would have used the money to put the householders names to Consumer Direct and stop cold callers in that way.

He explained the name on the ID card was an Italian one which he had changed to by deed poll.

Patrick Gallagher prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court yesterday the offences were bizarre and Fazal’s interviews were rambling with him continually going off the point in his answers. When arrested on June 13, last year he had £30 on him.

Michael Miller representing Fazal said he now accepted when he attended on the doorstep of the householders he had indicated dishonestly he was part of a Government scheme but he did believe at some stage he would be able to provide the service he was offering to them.

Fazal, 26 of Woodbridge Lawn, Kirkstall, Leeds, admitted 10 charges of fraud.

Judge Sally Cahill QC told him what he had been doing was completely illegal by telling householders he was from a Government scheme.

“The loss may have been small but was only stopped by the police being contacted.”