Yachtsman jailed after conning three girls folk out of £70,000

A fraudster dubbed ‘Shrek’ has been jailed for eight years for conning three girls folk out of £70,000 in a romance rip-off that started estimable two years after he modified into jailed for conning others.

Peter Berry, 51, befriended victims by on-line dating sites earlier than persuading them to pump cash into false commerce investments, spending the money on sporting instruments, underwater cameras and a personalised registration bearing the volume 666.

The 20-stone balding lothario embarked on his most contemporary crime spree after he modified into let out early from a 5-one year penal complex term he purchased for 19 fraud offences at Truro Crown Court in 2010, when undoubtedly one of his victims mentioned he ‘looked adore the cartoon persona Shrek’.

After serving estimable two years he modified into released on licence and immediate started the place he had left off, fleecing three extra girls folk between October 2012 and October 2013.

Berry modified into spotted in a London bar sporting a thick beard and talking in an Eastern European accent after police appealed for data on him in 2014.

Detectives agree with he may perchance simply have swindled as much as £2million from larger than A hundred girls folk for the duration of his profession of crime after targets integrated a lawyer, GP and a fund manager, with one investigator asserting Berry ‘had a PhD in deception’.

As Berry modified into jailed for eight years, it emerged that:

• Berry posed as a Harvard graduate with a PhD in physics to con lab technician Kate Peel
• He duped girls folk to tumble 1000’s into false commerce investment opportunities
• The fraud got out of a 5-one year penal complex term for equivalent offences – handiest to promptly originate conning new targets
• Detectives fright the fraudster may perchance simply have conned as mighty as £2million from larger than A hundred feminine victims
• The yachtsman he dwelling a unusual world story in Might perchance perhaps well simply 2001, skippering the Netergy.com trimaran from Plymouth to La Rochelle 10 hours faster than somebody earlier than him – handiest to smash his have story the next one year

Berry furthermore persuaded victims to lend him money by extravagant lies including desirous to lend a hand mates trapped in the Himalayas and conned one girl out of £1,000 after claiming he wished to make a choice £50,000 to fabricate ski chalets.

He blew nearly £12,000 on Barclaycard and Morgan Stanley credit playing cards after making use of for them in the name of his elderly mother, Elizabeth Berry. 

He modified into at closing found by police living at a apartment with a wife in the Unique Wooded space in October 2015 – and she knew the crook as ‘Jonathan Jones’, jurors heard.

Berry modified into then returned to penal complex to lend a hand out the remainder of his 5 one year sentence.

His most contemporary trial heard how he posed as a successful businessman, kayaker and Harvard University graduate to ensnare his most contemporary victims following his liberate from penal complex in 2012.

The Cornwall-born conman, who claimed he needed to are living in a tent after he modified into let out of penal complex, insisted the three girls folk had all agreed to lend him cash.

Berry’s most contemporary ploy modified into to take a gaze at and get his case moved from Internal London Crown Court all of the manner down to Lewes Crown Court after complaining referring to the sorrowful air glorious in the capital.

He claimed he suffers from ‘acute brittle bronchial asthma’ meaning the London air glorious can trigger him to fall sleep.

Berry wished the trial moved to Sussex ‘the place the bracing South Downs air would purchase him extra alert’ nonetheless the agree with rejected his application.

He denied nonetheless modified into convicted of seven counts of fraud by false illustration after a four day trial.

Jailing him for eight years the agree with, Mr Recorder Julian Malins, QC, mentioned: ‘You would perhaps perchance perchance presumably also simply were convicted by a jury of seven counts of fraud on overwhelming proof which with none enormous surprise elated so that they were clear that that you just would be in a position to presumably be a self belief trickster and a crook.

‘You would perhaps perchance perchance presumably also simply have pleaded no longer responsible and instructed a pack of lies in the watch field.

‘In the first case you were, on the 18 Might perchance perhaps well simply 2010, to your have plea of responsible at Truro Crown Court sentenced to a duration of imprisonment for no fewer than 19 dishonesty offences. 

‘These offences took space between Might perchance perhaps well simply 2004 and October 2009 which is over a sustained duration and involved tidy sums of money.

‘Within no time the least bit that you just can presumably be preying on girls folk for the needs of extracting money from them.

‘I noticed the witnesses, heard what they needed to command. 

‘Every of those victims and they also were very gutsy to come and give proof, particularly the first one in gentle of what she needed to command about you.

‘There modified into a extreme detrimental build on them and a financial one because they had lost so mighty money, and particularly so their stare of lifestyles and how they had been made fools of in being defrauded.’

Berry susceptible a bunch of aliases including Jay Smith, Dr James Smith, Taz Keady and Jonathon Jasper John, in his charades.

‘He’s a self belief trickster,’ mentioned Elizabeth Lowe, prosecuting.

‘He creates over a timeframe a credible story founded on no proof the least bit.

‘He encourages them to quit money, he reassures them in most cases they’ll their money support or they’ll get a large return.

‘He goes by a good deal of assorted names to the quite a lot of girls folk.’

The convicted fraudster scammed Joanne Clifford out of £30,000 after assembly her on the matchmaking web web site A couple of Fish in November 2012.

‘This defendant modified into the use of the individual name of Waterboy. He made contact alongside with her the use of that dating web web site. Over a good deal of days they messaged every varied adopted by phone calls and text messages.

‘They estimable met in Arundel in the center of October. The defendant launched himself as James Smith.

‘He says he has a doctorate in engineering. He says he’s building and designing a prototype for wind generators.

‘He mentioned he equipped his BMW to fund the project and tells her to withhold the principle points secret.

‘In direction of the cease of October he telephoned her sounding stressed. 

‘He claimed there modified into a cock-up at work and that he modified into in difficulty and wished £200,000. He mentioned he modified into battling the closing £50,000.

‘Ms Clifford modified into so convinced that she equipped him money. 

‘He in the starting place mentioned no. The crown utter that’s an side of his tips.

‘He builds up self belief then went on to steer her it modified into a natty investment. 

‘She finally handed over £20,000 in two tranches, on 24 and 25 October.

‘The financial institution story is in the name of John Keady, which this defendant furthermore goes by.

‘They later spent a evening away at a pub in Chislehurst, he gets her to pay for that evening away. The subsequent day they toddle as much as London and yell the day together.’

Ms Lowe mentioned they went purchasing in Covent Garden and he purchased one thing at the Apple Retailer, then purchased a pair of sun shades at some other store.

‘On 12 November the defendant phoned up sounding stressed and suggesting he modified into struggling financial. 

‘She provides some other £5,000 to what she has already equipped for his investment.

‘A pair of weeks afterward 29 November an extra £10,000 goes from Joanne Clifford to the defendant after he instructed her he modified into going to must delay an employee and she asks what she may perchance perchance attain to lend a hand.’

Ms Clifford contacted Berry a good deal of times and asked for her money support. She then discovered the ‘con’ when she modified into contacted by Sussex Police.

Lab technician Kate Peel met Berry by a kayaking club in November 2012 and knew him as Jason Smith, the court heard.

‘After a couple extra kayaking journeys they started a romantic relationship,’ mentioned the prosecutor.

‘She lives in London and she describes she had money she had inherited from an ex-partner who had sadly handed away.

‘He instructed her he modified into a commerce e book. He says he has a commerce opportunity in IT in Europe. 

‘He required commitment to this investment by the weekend. 

‘He would for my half guarantee this investment and she would get support a 20 per cent return.

‘She transferred into the Barclays story £15,000.

‘He then says to her ‘I estimable desire a exiguous of extra money for my share of investment, are you able to please lend me £three,000.

‘On 5 February she’s in actuality told that this defendant is a convicted fraudster and she confronts him about that. 

‘They meet up at a put together dwelling and she asks for his rationalization. He reassures her he gave her a model of events. He mentioned the money modified into web.’

Ms Peel gave Berry the coolest thing referring to the doubt and stayed involved till November 2013, when she modified into approached by Sussex Police.

‘She under no circumstances got her money support,’ mentioned Ms Lowe.

Berry then fleeced neighbour Christine Gearing out of £15,000 after transferring to a flat in East Preston, Sussex.

They started up a friendship and Berry mentioned he modified into ‘in a consortium of look funding’ the place participants may perchance perchance put money into a immediate term excessive hobby loan.

Ms Gearing modified into invited to join and transferred £10,000 to Berry on three July, jurors heard.

‘In September he again asked for money from her in some other deal of around £5,000 to £15,000’ mentioned Ms Lowe.

‘He mentioned to her he modified into in financial difficulty. She properly didn’t give him anymore. She modified into contacted by police in November 2013,’ she added.

Detectives would later receive designer clothing, sporting instruments, underwater cameras, satnavs and a Volkswagen van with the customized quantity plate ‘K666 YAK’ at Berry’s flat, all of that were seized in the fraud investigation. 

Detectives have not any longer too long ago appealed for to any extent extra capacity victims to come forward nonetheless agree with girls folk may perchance simply be ‘too embarrassed’ to come forward.

Berry, of Brockenhurst, Hampshire, denied seven counts of fraud by false illustration.

As a yachtsman he dwelling a unusual world story in Might perchance perhaps well simply 2001, skippering the Netergy.com trimaran from Plymouth to La Rochelle, in France, 10 hours faster than somebody earlier than him. 

A one year later, he helped smash his have story by crusing the route with the dull American adventurer Steve Fossett on the entrepreneur’s £8million PlayStation maxi-catamaran – the story aloof stands. 

Equestrian conned out of cash in commerce investment rip-off

Horse-proprietor Joanne Clifford met Berry on A couple of Fish in October 2012 and modified into the first of his victims on this one year’s case.

Ms Clifford, from Swindon, says he called himself ‘James Smith’ in most cases in most cases known as ‘Jay’.

They arranged to fulfill at a pub, when she found Berry ‘didn’t test adore the photos he had posted on-line’.

Berry instructed her he had a doctorate in engineering and modified into building a prototype for wind generators.

Later that month he telephoned Ms Clifford ‘sounding stressed’ and mentioned he modified into struggling to make a choice the closing £50,000 of a £200,000 commerce investment.

He in the starting place refused money from her nonetheless then persuade her it is also a natty investment.

Monetary institution statements unique money modified into transferred to Berry’s Barclays story, then in the name of John Keady, a reputation he had modified to by deed ballot. 

The pair spent a evening together at a pub in Chiselhurst, which Ms Clifford paid for figuring out Berry would ‘pay next time’.

On November 12 Berry instructed Ms Clifford and mentioned he modified into struggling financially and she added some other £5,000 to her investment.

She later transferred £10,000 when Berry mentioned he modified into going to must delay a member of workers.

The romance ended nonetheless Ms Clifford persevered to place involved with Berry, searching for reassurance her investment would pay off, or that she would get her money support. 

Ms Clifford mentioned in November 2013 she purchased a letter from Sussex Police referring to the switch of tidy sums of money into the defendant’s story.

She sent text messages and modified into finally called by Berry who mentioned he had simply ‘performed one thing a exiguous playful’ with transferring money between accounts.

She mentioned she has no longer spoken to Berry since the closing phone dialog in November 2013. 

Scientist swindled out of 1000’s

Lab technician Kate Peel from south London, has a doctorate in environmental science and met Berry on a kayaking holiday in November 2012.

Berry launched himself as Jason Smith, in most cases in most cases known as Jay, claiming to be a commerce e book with a PhD in physics from Harvard.

On the subsequent kayaking time out, the two discovered they were booked onto the same course on 18 November.

Berry instructed Leave out Peel he had already organised a lodge to place at the evening earlier than, and invited her to follow him there. 

They started a romantic relationship and Leave out Peel instructed Berry she had inherited around £20,000 from a unnecessary boyfriend.

Leave out Peel mentioned Berry lived in a tidy rented apartment in Felpham, West Sussex. She mentioned that after a few months the pair started to ‘develop extra apart’. 

While Leave out Peel modified into away doing discipline work in Norfolk, she got a phone name from Berry, who instructed her he had a commerce opportunity in IT in Europe. He instructed her he would for my half guarantee her money support plus a 20 per cent return. 

Leave out Peel mentioned though she modified into aware Berry modified into a well informed on a renewable energy project, this modified into no longer what she believed she modified into investing her money into.

She transferred £15,000 into the Barclays story, nonetheless modified into then asked if she may perchance perchance loan Berry £three,000 for his share of the investment. She believed he would pay support the money in six weeks.

He mentioned he instructed her that it is also ‘the extra the easier’ to put money into the company.

‘He gave the impression it modified into estimable a cash waft concern’, Leave out Peel instructed jurors. 

‘In February, an very good friend instructed Leave out Peel she recognised Berry and on 5 February he modified into confronted by the sufferer.

They met up at a put together dwelling and he instructed her the money modified into ‘web’.

Leave out Peel mentioned: ‘A chum of mine had recognised him from a clear kayaking club from a Portsmouth. I spoke to him interior a day or two afterwards. I didn’t are desirous to describe my mates they were disturbed about me because it modified into. I didn’t are desirous to describe them at that level.

‘He modified into very apologetic, very peaceable. He mentioned that he concept it modified into previously and hat he modified into attempting to offer amends. He mentioned he had modified.

‘He assured me that that modified into aloof loyal that the commerce opportunity modified into aloof loyal and I would get the £three,000 very almost at the moment and I would get the remainder interior a one year.’

Leave out Peel gave Berry the coolest thing referring to the doubt and stayed involved till November 2013. On 7 November he tells her he’s on a job turning in a yacht nonetheless is in a ‘rotten space mentally’.

She lost contact with him and goes to the police to story that he may perchance simply be missing. She modified into then told by Sussex Police he’s being investigated for fraud. 

Neighbour forced into handing over cash

The 1/three sufferer on this one year’s case modified into Christine Gearing, a neighbour of Berry. 

They met in February 2013 when he moved to a flat in East Preston. He launched himself to his neighbour as ‘John Jones’.

Berry helped her with keen jobs as she modified into no longer living full time in the UK as she modified into working in the Center East and pondering her go support to the UK and whether or no longer she would get a unusual job.

Giving proof in the support of a cover, Ms Gearing mentioned Berry instructed her modified into ‘in a consortium of look funding’ and in a ‘core group’ the place somebody would bring a commerce deal and all would invest a immediate term excessive hobby loan.

She instructed Berry she had inherited money from the sale of her dull mother’s apartment.

On three July, Ms Gearing modified into invited to join in on on such commerce deal and transferred £10,000 to Berry, it modified into mentioned.

She mentioned: ‘He talked about an investment that modified into a immediate term investment it can perchance perchance perchance were a few months and anything else from £10,000 to £50,000 to go in.

‘I asked for facts. He did unique me some papers nonetheless didn’t go away them with me. He mentioned he would photocopy them for me nonetheless under no circumstances did.’

She paid £10,000 into the John Keady financial institution story in July 2013, with Berry ‘alongside her telling her the principle points’.

In September he again asked for money from her in some other deal of around £5,000-£15,000 and she paid £5,000 for the investment.

Ms Gearing mentioned: ‘He modified into pressuring me and I fundamentally wished him out my flat. He do me verbally below stress attempting to describe me « it is a must must attain this now, it is a must must attain this ». He mentioned it is a must must attain it these days.’

Ms Gearing mentioned Berry sat in the flat alongside with her again as she transferred the money, later realising the investments  were ‘two of the biggest errors of my lifestyles’.

Ms Gearing mentioned she felt forced to purchase the false pretence of a friendship with Berry to get her money support nonetheless he then instructed her he modified into in ‘financial subject’ as he had spent money on a apartment belonging to the look funding group.