Man admits part in £8,600 bogus police scam
A man has admitted taking part in a fraud conspiracy that affected Shropshire, in which criminals pretended to be police officers to scam people out of thousands of pounds.
Abdulaziz Guthmy, 27, was due to stand trial on a conspiracy charge but changed his plea on Wednesday, the day the trial was due to start.
He admitted that on October 30 last year he was involved in a conspiracy to commit fraud with unknown others, involving the impersonation of police officers.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that the conspiracy benefited by £8,600.
Guthmy, from London, also pleaded guilty to possessing diamorphine with intent to supply.
Paul Smith, defending, said Guthmy would be sent to collect money by more senior members of the conspiracy and that there was an element of threat, saying Guthmy felt fearful for his family.
Judge Anthony Lowe sent the case back to June 11 so that a report on Guthmy can be compiled before he is sentenced. More details about the conspiracy are expected to be heard then.
He warned him that a custodial sentence was inevitable.
