A MAN offered to paint the front of an elderly man’s bungalow for £20 but then charged him £200, a court heard yesterday.
A jury at Mold Crown Court heard claims that James Doran, 28, then returned to the man’s home on numerous occasions and demanded further £200 payments.
Nicholas Williams, prosecuting, said on one occasion Doran lost his temper when the 80-year-old refused to pay and he robbed him by pinning him down on a bed by his arms and taking £200 from his back pocket.
Doran, of Howard Street, Connah’s Quay, denies stealing about £1,000 between January and June of last year and robbing the elderly man of £200 on June 17.
The court, sitting at Chester, heard the complainant Graham Edwards had since died, but a video recording of his complaint would be played to the jury as his evidence.
Mr Williams told the jury Doran now accepted he was the man who first visited the complainant and carried out the painting.
It was his case he charged him £200 and he had not been back to the bungalow, had not been responsible for demanding further amounts of £200 from him, and had not robbed him.
The jury heard that early last year Doran visited Mr Edwards and offered to paint the outside of his home for £20.
Work was carried out but it was the prosecution case it was so shoddy that money would have to be spent on putting it right. But after the work was done Doran said it would now cost £200, it was alleged.
He returned to the bungalow on a number of occasions requesting another £200, saying his boss wanted more money.
A second older man claiming to be Doran’s boss had also been to the property and demanded cash, the jury was told.
Mr Williams said it was Doran who returned on the most occasions.
The elderly man would go to a cash point and get £200 after he said he would come for it.
The day after the alleged robbery Mr Edwards told his brother what had been going on and said he was in a terrible mess.
The brother, Terence Edwards, 77, of Hawarden, called the police and a video recorded interview took place with detectives.
Mr Williams said Graham Edwards was a frail old men who relied on carers visiting him three times a day to look after him.
He had been poorly for some time and while physically frail his memory was good.
Mr Williams told the jury when first arrested Doran said he knew nothing about it.
He did not know Mr Edwards, had never been to his home, had not done any work for him and it was completely wrong.
A note had been found with his name on it, his date of birth and the sum of £2,000.
Doran’s fingerprints were found on it and it was the prosecution’s case it was Doran’s hand writing.
“You may conclude that is why the defendant has now changed his story,” Mr Williams said.
He now accepted he had visited the complainant and done the work but claimed he had asked for and was paid £200, but he had not been back since.
- The jury also heard about Doran’s previous convictions.
Mr Williams said he had a conviction for robbery dating back to January 2002 when he and two others forced entry into the home of an elderly lady who lived alone.
She had been restrained while they searched the house for money.
He had a conviction for blackmail of a man aged 71 in Connah’s Quay.
He had befriended the man who lived alone and then returned to his home on several occasions and made unwarranted demands for cash.
The defence case will start today.
Proceeding.