Fresh fish conman: Durham-based salesman jailed for ripping off vulnerable

Some fish was of such poor quality it had to be binned, the court heard (file photo)

A door-to-door fish salesman has been jailed after ripping off scores of vulnerable customers, one aged 105.

Craig Henderson admitted fraudulent trading, which netted him more than £250,000 in three-and-a-half years.

Investigators heard from 110 victims from across the UK who were intimidated into buying poor quality fish at inflated prices.

Henderson, 51, of Fir Avenue, Durham, was jailed at Teesside Crown Court for five years and seven months.

'Like 10 Jehovah's Witnesses'

Sabrina Goodchild, prosecuting, said Henderson mostly targeted elderly or otherwise vulnerable people with aggressive doorstep sales.

The older the victim, the more he charged, the court heard.

One told investigators she felt so pressurised into buying it "was like having 10 Jehovah's Witnesses at the door at the same time".

Around two-thirds of those he targeted were over 60, two were aged 95-105 and one was even older.

He used vans bearing other, legitimate firms' logos so he could not be traced and sold cheap frozen fish as fresh, an average of three times the retail price, the court heard.

Packaging was not labelled so consumers had no idea of a use by date.

Henderson or his staff would even enter victims' homes and start loading their fridge with supplies before the customer had agreed a price.

Some fish was of such poor quality it had to be binned, with one buyer saying the produce was so off it made their freezer smell, despite it being frozen.

Victims said they only agreed to buy from Henderson to get rid of him.

One retired nurse said she felt embarrassed at handing over £150 for 14 pieces of fish. Another victim who was visited four times spent £698.

Investigators traced sales totalling £246,000, but that did not include cash sales made by the fraudster.

'Utter cowardice'

Henderson had a criminal record for dishonest fish sales dating back to 2003 and had previously been jailed for similar offences.

Lewis Kerr, defending, said Henderson had run up debts due to his heroin and crack addictions.

He was convicted following a prosecution by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council after an investigation by the National Trading Standards North East Regional Investigation Team.

In sentencing, Judge Howard Crowson said Henderson's offending persisted despite warnings and attempts to get him to sell legally.

He also imposed a Criminal Behaviour Order, which bans him indefinitely from going door-to-door and conducting unsolicited sales.

After the hearing, Lord Michael Bichard, chair of National Trading Standards, said threatening older victims showed "utter cowardice".

"Many victims were repeatedly targeted, giving the defendant money they could not afford to lose, just to make him go away," he said.