Landlord jailed for fraud

A rogue landlord who swindled £28,000 from a family friend has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Mark Thorogood of Maelgwyn Road, Llandudno, was found guilty at Caernarfon Crown Court of defrauding his friend, Emma Edgley, of Pontllyfni, by persuading her to provide him with a loan in June 2010 that she could ill afford, and ended up forcing her into sell her property.

The court heard how there had been a verbal agreement that Thorogood would repay the money to Edgley within a couple of months.

However, the landlord instead used the money to settle various payments, including outstanding mortgages on properties.

Following the incident, Edgley said that Thorogood, aged 52, had left her feeling depressed and as though she could no longer trust anyone.

Thorogood, who failed to comply with the codes and principles agreed, while his company Property Park Mortgages was deemed to have failed to act “with honesty and integrity”, was fined £104,000 by the Financial Services Authority and issued with a prohibition order after submitting fraudulent mortgage applications.

The landlord also had a previous conviction for failing to comply with conditions of housing management and an improvement notice.

Mr Recorder Duncan Bould, passing sentence, said: “This was in my view fraudulent activity over a sustained period. You deliberately targeted a vulnerable lady whom you knew very well.” 

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