A fraudster took almost £4,000 in deposits from six people for accommodation which didn't exist, in a 'cold and calculating' scam which left some of his victims homeless.
Patrick Matthews, 35, advertised his own flat in Salford for rent online, and met some of his victims in person. But after they handed over cash, from sums of £150 up to £1,190, Matthews would then tell them the accommodation was no longer available and they wouldn't be getting their money back.
Manchester Crown Court heard that all the victims were in a 'low income bracket'. Matthews has vowed to repay his victims through his benefits, but it could take years for them to recoup their losses as he hands over £80 a month in compensation.