Man tried to escape police officer

A prolific fraudster in Peterborough has been jailed after breaching a strict court order that banned him from calling at residents’ homes.

Anthony Atkins, 48, targeted six houses in Larch Grove, Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, telling residents he was there to clean their gutters and requested money for the work.

But the incidents, which occurred between July 10 and September 10 last year, were a direct breach of the 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) Atkins had received in January 2017.

The order had banned him from conducting door-to-door enquiries or sales of any sort and cold calling any premises in connection with any trade, business or service.

He was arrested on September 10 in Nottingham Way, Dogsthorpe, after one of the victims told their local PCSO he was in the area.

A court heard that Atkins had initially given a false name to the police officer before running off and then trying to change his appearance by removing his jacket and letting his hair down.

Atkins, of Eastfield Road, Eastfield, Peterborough, was sentenced to three years in prison at Cambridge Crown Court yesterday (April 29) after previously admitting five counts of fraud by false representation and six breaches of his CBO.

Detective Constable Matt Reed, who investigated, said: “Since his CBO, Atkins has been convicted of multiple breaches of the order, each resulting in time in prison.

“His actions can significantly impact his victims, and on one occasion he even tried to convince one of them he was a nephew she had not seen for a while in order to get money.

“I would like to thank those who reported these incidents to us, and encourage anyone who thinks they may have fallen victim to a rogue trader such as Atkins to report it to us.”