Hove: Fraudster Recalled To Prison
15 October 2014, 16:15
A fraudster who tricked vulnerable people into thinking he was a trained paramedic has been recalled to prison for six months.
Joshua Martyn, 21, of Somerhill Avenue, Hove was convicted of fraud and theft after conning vulnerable people into thinking he was a registered paramedic with medical training and qualifications, when in reality he has no training at all. He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment at Lewes Crown Court on August 11.
Martyn first came to police attention in 2010 while pretending to be a paramedic but it wasn't until September 2011 when they managed to arrest him for fraud and assault on a 71-year-old woman he was living with in Warren Drive, Crawley.
He had moved in with her and had convinced her he was medically trained, but had no such qualifications. Martyn has never completed anything more than a basic first aid course, however with the use of online shopping sites, he was able to purchase a large quantity of medical equipment and a fully marked paramedic first response vehicle.
Martyn was originally charged with a variety of offences mainly associated with theft, fraud and witness intimidation and he was bailed with conditions. However he committed further offences including assault and fraud while on bail.
On March 1, 2012 Martyn appeared at Lewes Crown Court charged with using a vehicle whilst uninsured and not taxed, three counts of battery in relation to the 71-year-old woman and two counts of driving with no licence. He was convicted of all these offences which had been committed whilst on bail. He was placed on a six month hospital order and disqualified from driving for six months.
Just two months later in May 2012, police were informed again that he was staying with a couple in their 80s in West Hoathly. Their concerned family reported his actions as they weren't convinced he was a registered paramedic as he had told them. Martyn was charged with three counts of assault, forging a vehicle licence, 10 counts of fraud and theft from the vulnerable couple.
On March 13, 2013 Martyn appeared at Lewes Crown Court charged with witness intimidation, fraud and assault regarding a vulnerable and terminally ill 80-year-old man from West Hoathly. He was found not guilty of the witness intimidation, but convicted of the fraud and battery and sentenced to five months imprisonment at a youth offenders' institute and a restraining order was obtained to prevent him contacting the 71-year-old woman in Crawley.
On May 27, this year he appeared at Hove Crown Court charged with fraud and theft and pleaded guilty to the charges laid against him and on August 11 he was sentenced.