A 49-year-old man took advantage of a vulnerable and illiterate individual by using his identity to purchase a car and take out insurance. The fraud was uncovered after the man crashed the car, and police discovered a “torrent” of unreadable correspondence sent to the victim.
Ian Varley, who met the victim at church, began visiting his home regularly, pretending to be a friend. Neighbors saw Varley driving a black Audi A3 during these visits.
At a sentencing hearing on Friday at Newport Crown Court, it was revealed that Varley crashed the Audi A3 on May 31, 2020, causing significant damage to the vehicle’s front end. Prosecutor Ieuan Bennett explained that Varley used the victim’s details to buy the car and take out insurance under his name. When police requested documentation, Varley stalled.
The victim, unable to read or write, received numerous letters from Admiral Insurance about the defendant’s poor driving history and asked neighbors to help read them.
Varley, of Acer Way, Monmouth, was arrested on March 7, 2021. During his interview, he admitted to driving the car but remained silent when questioned about the fraud.
Admiral Insurance suffered a loss of £9,926 due to the defendant’s actions. Varley later pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation.
The court also heard that Varley had 18 previous convictions, including theft, drug offenses, shoplifting, and driving offenses. He had previously served 12 months for perverting the course of justice.
In mitigation, Varley’s defense lawyer argued that his client is on medication for various health conditions and suggested he could serve his sentence in the community.
Sentencing Varley, Judge Celia Hughes said: “This was an awful way to treat a vulnerable, elderly, and illiterate man who believed you were his friend… He must feel let down.”
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