Three years for conman in 'Simon Cowell' chauffeur scam

DOZENS of long-term unemployed were duped by a serial conman from Sheffield who offered them fake jobs as a chauffeur driving around the stars, a court has heard.

Mark Shortland, 43, advertised for drivers on the Jobcentre Plus website and held interviews in Liverpool, Manchester, Castle Donington and Luton.

He offered about 80 people jobs and many of them sent him 100 retainer as a deposit for the keys to a luxury car. They thought they would be earning up to 30,000 a year.

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One victim interviewed by Shortland and a woman in Manchester said: "They told me I would get three tailor-made suits, a mobile phone and a fuel card and that I would be driving people like Simon Cowell about town."

Shortland of Mosborough, Sheffield, was jailed for three years after admitting a series of frauds including the car scam which netted him 100,000.

Judge Alan Gioldsack told him: "It was the most wicked of frauds."

He said of the victims: "They were clearly taken in by you. There were no jobs. Many had been unemployed for a long time and pinned their faith on the job.

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"Others handed in their notices at existing jobs believing they had a new job with you. You have shown not a hint of remorse."

He told Shortland: "I have heard more lies from you than I often hear in a month."

Shortland, who has 18 previous convictions for dishonesty including from January, 2007 for illegally operating a taxi business, ran his virtual empire from a rented flat.

Det Con Juliet Faram who investigated his frauds said: "He was very convincing. He had a Savile Row suit and a sunbed tan and people fell for his patter.

"He was very plausible and would tell the females he conned that he was an airline pilot."