A landscaper has been handed an 18-month jail sentence and ordered to pay a hefty fine after taking advantage of a terminally ill woman from Seaham and conning her out of thousands of pounds.
Callum Cairns, 26, of Ramillies Road, Sunderland, was hired to renovate a garden in Seaham earlier this year so that Amy Sproates could enjoy the spring weather in her declining health.
Despite being given payments of almost £2,000 and digging up parts of the garden, Cairns failed to carry out any meaningful work on the property which led to his arrest and charge of fraud by false representation.
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Officers from Seaham Neighbourhood Police Team then rallied together with members of the community and local businesses to complete the renovation themselves.
The garden was given a full makeover including new paving, turfing, fencing and plumbing.
Appearing at Durham Crown Court last week, Cairns was convicted of fraud and remanded into custody.
On Monday he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and ordered to pay £1,959.20 compensation to the victim.
Inspector Joanne Eales said: “The whole of the Neighbourhood Team and I are absolutely delighted to see that not only has Amy been able to enjoy her renovated garden, but she has also received justice from the court.
“This was a heartless, opportunistic crime in which Cairns took advantage of a vulnerable member of society, and from start to finish it has really pulled at our heart strings.
“I hope that his sentencing provides some form of closure to Amy and her family.”
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