Bank staff in Devon caught a conman trying to steal money, leading to his arrest and a three-year jail sentence
Newton Abbot: A crafty fraudster got caught red-handed. Julian Mabbutt, 53, was up to no good, trying to steal nearly £35,000 from unsuspecting bank customers.
He traveled around, using fake IDs and passports. But his luck ran out at the NatWest in Newton Abbot. The bank staff noticed something was off and played it cool while waiting for the police.
On May 15 last year, Mabbutt walked in with a fake passport. He tried to withdraw money from an account that wasn’t his. The staff kept him busy until the police showed up.
Turns out, this guy had a history of similar scams. He’s now facing three years behind bars. The prosecutor shared that he had pulled off similar tricks in various towns.
He had a knack for presenting false documents to get cash. In total, he managed to steal £34,427 before getting caught. If he hadn’t been stopped, he could have taken even more.
Mabbutt had 137 previous offenses on his record. His lawyer claimed he was pressured by an organized crime gang to commit these frauds. But the judge wasn’t having it, calling his actions “sophisticated” and “bold.”
