Serial fraudster who duped kids into thinking he was theatre star jailed for another 'shameless' scam

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A fraudster who duped kids into thinking he was a theatre star has been jailed for another “shameless” scam.Gary Feeney, who took cash from young Scots acting hopefuls before being exposed as a Walter Mitty, has been locked up for more than three years over a £20,000 credit con.The 55-year-old targeted two pensioners and a vulnerable pal in his latest scam before pleading guilty to 11 fraud offences in England.A court heard that Feeney, who had recently been living in Workington, West Cumbria, went by 12 different aliases and applied for credit in false names from credit card companies, banks and catalogue sales firms.Jailing Feeny for 39 months, a judge slammed the serial con artist for his sickening betrayal of a close friend, saying: “You were a cuckoo in the nest.

Stealing from her, from under her nose.”Six of Feeney’s crimes involved the female friend, who he knew through a Lake District charity singing group.She knew him as Gary Adams but was also aware he went by Gary Hume and Feeney.Prosecutor Andrew Evans told Carlise Crown Court: “She was persuaded to let him live rent-free as he had told her he had nowhere to go.”The woman loaned him money which was not repaid before Feeney used her name and details to set up credit with different companies.Feeney used credit to buy thousands of pounds worth of goods which ranged from clothing, furnishings, TV subscriptions and PlayStation games to groceries, alcohol, chocolates, perfume, scented candles and socks.The prosecutor said: “Although intermittent payments were made to keep the accounts alive, substantial amounts remain unpaid.”Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as