Sutton Coldfield Fraudster Jailed for Swindling Elderly Woman Out of £136k
A Sutton Coldfield conman who deceived an elderly woman out of £136,000 by pretending to invest her money in gold has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. Steven Porter, aged 43, fabricated elaborate stories including cartel threats to extract funds from the victim, who is in her 70s, while actually using the money to support his failing business and gambling addiction.
Elaborate Deception and False Promises
Steven Porter of Harcourt Drive in Sutton Coldfield admitted to fraud by false representation at Birmingham Crown Court. The court heard that Porter initially met the woman at a networking event in 2022, where she was a customer of a supplement company he was associated with. He offered to help her invest money into gold, but after taking more than £168,000 from her, he returned only around £32,000, effectively defrauding her of £136,000.
Recorder Joe French noted that Porter's initial engagement with the victim was not based on fraudulent intent, but he subsequently extracted money through false investment promises and a web of lies. Porter sent pictures and videos to the victim, purportedly showing interactions with third-party contacts to create an illusion of legitimacy and earn her trust. He even invited her to be involved in a company he claimed to be setting up.
Extreme Fabrications and Psychological Impact
The fraudster's stories became increasingly extreme over the 18-month period. Porter claimed that an associate involved in gold investments had killed himself, before altering the lie to state that the associate had been murdered by a cartel. He further asserted that he himself owed money to a cartel, painting a frightening picture of a criminal underworld.
Recorder French told Porter, "You painted a picture of a criminal underworld. Clearly that would have scared any person including this woman in her 70s. You also painted yourself as a victim of the underworld and took advantage of her clearly good and trusting nature." The victim stated that Porter destroyed her life, drained her savings, and robbed her of all confidence.
Sentencing and Mitigating Factors
At the sentencing on Wednesday, March 11, the court considered Porter's mental health issues, including bipolar disorder and gambling addiction, which psychiatrists confirmed contributed to his offending. However, Recorder French concluded that not all of his actions could be linked back to his mental health, emphasizing the abuse of trust and significant harm caused to the elderly victim.
The judge acknowledged Porter's remorse and steps taken to address his gambling addiction, as well as his role in helping his wife look after their children. Despite these mitigating factors, the central element of the case remained the severe breach of trust and the profound impact on the victim. Porter, who had no prior criminal convictions, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, highlighting the seriousness of his fraudulent activities.
