A FRAUDSTER who travelled from St Helens to extort £7,000 from a villager for gardening work has been warned he has a month to pay it all back – or he’ll be sent to jail.

Credrick Price, of Sherdley Road, St Helens, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining money from a 64-year-old man in Old Kilpatrick, between August 3 and 6, 2020.

The 26-year-old was blasted for “intimidatory” and “predatory” behaviour and a court heard the public demanded protection for such criminals.

Fiscal depute Rebecca Reid told Dumbarton Sheriff Court on October 25: “The witness [victim] was within his home address when the accused attended with two other unknown males.

“He offered to carry out some gardening work and a price of £1,500 was agreed. The accused and two other males carried out some gardening work with the witness giving the £1,500 to the accused as agreed.

“Two days later, the accused returned and demanded another £3,000 for further gardening work. The witness told the accused he was not willing to pay.”

Price said unless he was paid, he would not do any more work and the man would be left to clean up the mess.

“As such, the witness paid the accused £3,000,” said Ms Reid. “The following day he again returned with the two unknown males and demanded a further £2,500 to cover a VAT bill. Again, the witness complied.”

First-offender Price asked his victim not to tell his bank the reason he was withdrawing so much money.

The man then told a neighbour he had paid more than £2,000 to get some work done.

Ms Reid said: “The neighbour felt this was excessive and the witness further disclosed he felt pressured to pay the money and the neighbour contacted police.

“Police attended and observed a set of ladders against the front of the address with the accused at the top of the ladders. On seeing the police, he jumped down and made off on foot.

“Following a short pursuit, police caught up with the accused and he was cautioned and charged.”

Sheriff William Gallacher said: “This is intimidatory, predatory and horrible behaviour.”

He condemned the fact the case had been reduced from a more serious solemn level, limiting his sentencing options.

“The community cries out for protection from this behaviour and his behaviour was shocking,” he added.

Price’s solicitor Matthew Berlow said his client “in no sense” denied or sought to “minimise” the crime.

“I think what he was trying to do with social work is explain his role because there were two other people,” said Mr Berlow.

“Even if he had completed the work, it’s clearly an extortionate amount. He clearly accepts he is responsible for this crime.

“There were three of them and he was in no way the main person. But he accepts full responsibility.”

Mr Berlow said an amount had been seized from Price already under Proceeds of Crime legislation.

But Sheriff Gallacher hit back as to whether that money would actually get to the victim.

Price had previously done work as a landscape gardener but was now training as a mechanic in a garage.

“He decided to get a regular job,” said Mr Berlow. “He wants to repay the money and the money he repays from a legitimate source.”

Sheriff Gallacher pointed out it had been two years since the offence and Price had not saved anything to repay.

The sheriff told Price, of Sherdley Road, St Helens, Merseyside, to return to court on November 22 and be ready to pay.

He said: “If by that stage the entirety [of money] has been repaid, I will consider if there is an alternative to a custodial sentence.

“I think the gravity, the abuse, the manipulation, the extortion suggests I will send you to prison.”