A CONMAN who sold a car dealer a £65,000 Aston Martin he had stolen minutes earlier was “hopelessly addicted” to gambling.
Neil Taylor had tried to go straight but couldn’t kick a gambling addiction he had had for years, Cardiff Crown Court heard.
Owen Williams, defending, said Taylor had struggled to put his terrible past behind him when he was last released from jail in October 2006.
“He’d learned a trade inside – became a plasterer – met a woman who is now his fiancee and took his young son to live with them,” Mr Williams told the court.
“He was enjoying family life earning a good and honest wage but at the same time he was also hopelessly addicted to gambling.
“He’s been a gambler all his life and can’t shake it off and this time his losses added up to £80,000”.
It was with that debt hanging over him that Taylor came into contact with Christina Evans who had started buying gold as a hobby, the prosecution said.
When Taylor replied to her advert and offered 23 Krugerrands for £22,500 she took the cash to Tesco with two Irish friends.
“He was smartly dressed and in his Mercedes and said his name was Nathan,” prosecutor Richard Evans said.
“He took Mrs Evans and her husband to his home in High Street, Tonyrefail, then left them there saying he had to collect the gold.
“They were still sitting there when another man burst in saying ‘Quick, get everything out, Nathan’s been arrested’.
“The money was never seen again”
A week later, on April 21, Taylor met self-employed jeweller Ramid Javi who he also drove home and persuaded to go in for a cup of tea before vanishing with £13,860.
Then in May he answered an advert from Aston Martin owner Cosmo Lloyd who was offering his car for sale for £65,000.
Mr Evans said: “He agreed the price and when they met naturally wanted a test drive.”
But Taylor had already set up a meeting with car dealer Anthony Aitkin just off the M4 at Pencoed.
“Unfortunately, Mr Lloyd was caught short and while he was in the service station lavatory, the defendant drove off to his pre-arranged meeting with Mr Aitkin who handed him £45,000 cash and then sold the car for £47,500 and had to reimburse his buyer.”
Taylor was arrested in Haverfordwest with £40,000 cash still on him. The car was returned to its original owner.
Mr Williams said: “He was bound to be caught – the gambling had made him desperate.
“His son, now a teenager, knew nothing of his past – he is ashamed he’s had to see him like this”.
Taylor admitted theft and fraud charges.
Jailing him for four years, Judge Stephen Hopkins QC told the crook: “You are a silver-tongued and plausible conman.
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