Burnley payday loan fraudster hit with curfew (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Burnley payday loan fraudster hit with curfew

4:00pm Tuesday 29th January 2013 in News

A CONMAN repeatedly applied for payday loans by giving false details in a £1,000 scam, Burnley magistrates heard.

Colin Ormerod, 33, who is said to have learning difficulties and is on benefits, got cash, or tried to get it, by using a string of different names on forms online.

He also tried to get Littlewoods Catalogues but never ordered anything as he didn't get his hands on any.

Ormerod, a former drug addict, made about six loan applications, some which were successful and others not.

His trail of dishonesty was uncovered after he made a false application to Provident for a £400 loan.

A loan officer went round to his home and Ormerod was arrested over an allegation of false imprisonment of the officer.

He had not been charged over the accusation. He had admitted the loan charge and was charged on November 2.

Police had wanted to speak to him about other possible offences and when he was interviewed a second time he owned up to making similar applications on a number of previous occasions, using a variety of different names. He also admitted trying to get catalogues. Ormerod had been locked up for six weeks over the Provident loan application and when he was released he was questioned by the police again.

Ormerod, from Venice Avenue, Burnley, admitted two counts of fraud by false representation, to the total of £600, on July 28 and August 12, last year.

He asked for 10 offences, about six of them involving catalogues and the others loans, to be considered. Some of the offences date back to 2008.

Ormerod was given a four-week curfew, seven days a week, between 9pm and 7am. He must pay £250 compensation but the Bench did not order any costs.

Mark Williams, for Ormerod, said he had been in “a mess with drugs” and had asked to be sent to custody.

Since being released, he had not returned to the misuse of drugs.