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Fraudster Patrick Hartley jailed for £700,000 scam

8/29/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Lancashire County Council Trading Standards secured a three-year-nine-month prison sentence for fraudster Patrick Damien Hartley.
Preston Crown Court handed down the sentence on 28 August 2026.
Hartley defrauded 13 North West households, taking almost £700,000 and causing about £1 million in losses.
A Rawtenstall woman paid £59,406 for an extension but received only £3,250 of the promised £12,000 repayment.

History

Historical Context

The July 2008 conviction of John and Anne Darwin for faking his death and claiming life-insurance—recovering £501,641 and ordering over £540,000 in repayments—followed the UK’s 2006 Fraud Act and the 1987 creation of the Serious Fraud Office to combat complex fraud. Ongoing reforms such as the Insurance Act 2015 keep enforcement pressure high.

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Story summary

Lancashire County Council Trading Standards secured a three-year-nine-month prison sentence for fraudster Patrick Damien Hartley.
Preston Crown Court handed down the sentence on 28 August 2026.
Hartley defrauded 13 North West households, taking almost £700,000 and causing about £1 million in losses.
A Rawtenstall woman paid £59,406 for an extension but received only £3,250 of the promised £12,000 repayment.

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