Longer probation period for heart-attack fraudster

What would you do if a man walked up to you claiming he had a car accident and asked to borrow money to tow the car and get to the hospital fast because his father had just had a heart attack?

No fewer than 12 people were taken in by this story before they realised they had been swindled by 27-year-old Patrick Spagnol and his elaborate piece of acting, which he repeated over a two-year period up to last Sunday, when he was finally apprehended.

Mr Spagnol simply ran off with the cash and disappeared.

The fraudster would claim to be the son of the owner of either a local grocery shop or the local petrol station who had suffered a heart attack. As soon as he saw the emotion welling up in his victims, he would move in for the kill by planting the second lie: that he had crashed his car and needed to borrow money (varying between €60 to €100 or more) to tow the vehicle and get to his ailing father.

Feeling sorry for him, 12 people fell for the story and gave in, handing over a handsome total of €2,239.

The unemployed Mr Spagnol yesterday admitted to defrauding the people between 2007 and this year and committing the crime within the operative period of a probation.

Police Inspector James Grech said that on November 23, 2007, Mr Spagnol had been placed under probation for three years after being found guilty of possessing a small amount of cannabis. Magistrate Doreen Clarke took into consideration his immediate admission in court and his police statement and decided to extend the probation period by another two years.