Jail for mobility aids conmen who preyed on Sheffield pensioners

Shane Johnson, 54, and Laurence Johnson, 26, persuaded elderly people to part with their savings for a range of mobility aids, many of which were never delivered.

The pair, from Kegworth, Leicestershire, put the proceeds towards their comfortable homes and luxuries, including driving a Porsche 911 and a Maserati.

One victim, May Bell, now 89, was forced to live for weeks in her lounge when the Johnsons failed to supply the stairlift they had promised.

Mrs Bell, from Sheffield, handed over £2,000 to their firm, Nottingham Mobility, in 2009 but all they did was disconnect her old lift, leaving her unable even to reach her toilet.

A 91-year-old man from Nottinghamshire was persuaded to buy five mobility scooters in under a year, paying a net total of more than £5,400.

Today, at Nottingham Crown Court, the Johnsons were jailed for 12 months.

Judge James Sampson told them the sentence was meant as a warning to other unscrupulous traders that “society regards this kind of behaviour as disgraceful”.

The men admitted 12 charges under the Consumer Protection Regulations 2008.

These related to the victims in Sheffield, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.

The judge told them: “I have no doubt you were leading lifestyles your victims could only dream of.”

He said: “You were motivated by greed.

“It was mean and manipulative.”

He added: “Your victims were elderly, stroke victims, polio victims, amputees, the disadvantaged and the disabled.

“They trusted you with advance fees and with advice.”

The judge said that while the money lost by the victims may not seem huge, it was a “king’s ransom” to the victims.

He went on: “Neither of you are fit and proper people to be involved in any business involving the vulnerable.”

Both men looked shocked when the prison sentence was handed down. Laurence Johnson covered his face with his hands.

The judge told them he thought there was “little prospect” the money would be repaid.

According to trading standards officers, the pair set up Nottingham Mobility in March 2008.

The business sold a range of mobility products such as scooters, stairlifts and chairs from third party suppliers.

An investigation began in March 2010 by the East Midlands Scambusters Team, a regional unit which worked alongside Nottinghamshire County Council Trading Standards Officers.

An initial investigation discovered that payments of up to £31,000 had been handed over to Nottingham Mobility for mobility scooters and stairlifts that were never delivered.

Other customers said that Nottingham Mobility had promised to pay off existing finance agreements for mobility scooters as part of their sale agreement, but then failed to do so - leaving them with old as well as new debt.

The victims ranged from 56 to 94-years-old.

Lawyers for the pair said the business was set up legitimately but they began to adopt these criminal practices when it ran into trouble.