A crooked joiner who scammed more than £11,500 from Broughty Ferry and Monifieth residents has been jailed.
Ian Wilson used a fake name after meeting some of his victims at pubs.
Wilson previously admitted five charges of fraud at Dundee Sheriff Court and was finally jailed after months of wrangling over health concerns.
The 60-year-old had previously claimed he was not well enough to attend court but was ordered by a sheriff to travel from his home in Lancashire.
The court was previously told how Wilson’s address was not revealed as a result of death threats from gangsters in England.
Andy Goudie, one of the people Wilson targeted, was also tricked into arranging work for his 81-year-old mother, another victim.
Wilson – who used the name Ian Howard – received a substantial advance payment from Mr Goudie for work at his home in the Ferry.
Mr Goudie, who lives on Torridon Road in Broughty Ferry, said: “I think we are all still astounded that this has happened. He’d built up friendships over a period of a few years in the local community, he was a skilled worker, we’d seen the work he’d carried out before he left.
“The sentence will give us all some closure but there are still a lot of unanswered questions.
“There were materials he bought to carry out jobs which were never started, to me it was like something had caughtup with him and he had to go, the whole episode has been completely bizarre.”
Wilson met Mr Goudie at the Eagle Coaching Inn and was told his 81-year-old mother wanted a bathroom fitted and was happy to pay the £1,000 quoted.
She received numerous messages from Wilson until it was revealed he had fled.
Wilson also said he would fit a shower pod for Robert Doak on Cross Street for £2,200. However, he repeatedly made excuses about the materials being delayed and the shower pod never arrived.
Both Mr Goudie and Mr Doak made attempts to contact Wilson but they were unsuccessful.
Prosecutor Stewart Duncan said Wilson was recommended to carry out work on a new kitchen for a fourth victim in January 2016 and was given £3,000 for materials.
The final victim was the daughter of one of his first victims. He attended at her home in Edinburgh and was later given £3,000 by her father for work to be carried out.
Defence solicitor Keith Tuck said Wilson had attempted to pay almost £10,000 back through an associate. He revealed how Wilson and his partner had both suffered ill health which was coupled with the threats against his life.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael sentenced Wilson to 25 months in prison, adding that there was no alternative due to the nature of the offences.
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