A COURT of appeal has reviewed a sentence and jailed a Thurrock man convicted of fraud which included targeting pensioners.

Michael O'Neill, of Pilgrims Lane, North Stifford, initially avoided jail and was handed a suspended sentence of 21 months at Inner London Crown Court in July after admitting conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

But Court of Appeal judges sentenced him to an immediate jail term of three years and one month following a hearing.

His case was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General Alex Chalk, where a panel of three judges found that O'Neill's original sentence was "unduly lenient".

Lord Justice Singh, sitting with Mr Justice Holgate and Mr Justice Knowles, increased the sentence to three years and one month imprisonment.

Mr Chalk said in a statement after the ruling: "This was a sustained and thoroughly dishonest scam designed to manipulate a particularly vulnerable victim.

"I welcome the Court of Appeal's decision to increase the sentence. Let it serve as a deterrent to others thinking of carrying out similarly cruel crimes."

O'Neill was part of a group that targeted vulnerable people and attempted to get them to finance spurious claims for compensation.

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In one case O'Neill attempted to steal £75,000 from a 75 year old man.