A con artist who scammed dozens of customers including pensioners out of almost £2 million by taking their valuables to sell and never making good on his promises has been jailed for 12 years.
Judge Martin Griffith called Jamie Goatley, aka James Charles, an “inveterate fraudster” who “lulled his victims” into trusting him.
Last month Goatley, of Roman Crescent, Southwick, pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud totalling £1.2 million halfway through a trial at which 23 of his victims were due to give evidence.
Today, he asked for two more counts of fraudulent trading relating to eight more victims he scammed while being investigated for this offence – plus another count of fraud for using some of the watches he had scammed to GA Pawnbrokers in Brighton to secure £84,500 in loans.
Sentencing him, Judge Griffith said: “You took the goods and never returned them, or the full proceeds of any sales, in some instances you had taken goods and sold them almost immediately for a much lower sum than what was agreed.
You continued to fob off customers with lies, stories about potential sales of difficulties with bank accounts, anything you could come up with to fob them off and sadly, because they trusted you, people believed you.
“On many occasions, we can’t say what you did with the goods.
“I am sure you remember I said at the end of the first week of the trial I had no idea what your defence could be. The following week, you pleaded guilty – not because of what I said, I’m sure.
“I still can’t see any possible defence you could have put in the course of this trial.”
“There are some victims whose plans for retirement are scuppered, some who planned to use funds for special events and couldn’t, and almost all have had a bad effect upon their pockets.
“You will be 50 next month. Your previous convictions are significant aggravating factor.
“You are a practised and inveterate fraudster. You clearly have a way with words which lulls your victims into trusting you.”
Prosecuting, Anthony Hucklesby said Goatley had a long record, starting with an offence of fraud in which he convinced an elderly lady to give him six antique dining chairs and a table to sell. He was given a community order for that by Maidstone Crown Court in 1999.
Since then he had been sentenced by Bristol Crown Court and Portsmouth Crown Court and in 2020 by Southwark Crown Court when he was jailed for six years for theft and fraud relating to when he was trading as Robert Adam Antiques, and cold calling pensioners offering to sell gold and diamond jewellery.
For the set of offences he was sentenced to today, he first traded as Olympia Mayfair, and then after reports exposing his scams began to appear online, he changed his name to James Charles and started another company, National Gold Buyers Ltd.
When he was arrested, he told police he had changed his name because of online harassment – a claim Judge Griffith scoffed at.
Even after his arrest, he carried on scamming using the company names Kingsley and Co and Richmond and Stirling, the two companies involved in the fraudulent trading offences he today asked Judge Griffith to take into account.
Mr Hucklesby read out excerpts from statements given by some of Goatley’s victims.
Elizabeth Baldwin gave Goatley rings to sell to help pay legal fees for her divorce and a relocation abroad, as well as helping her mother through a cancer diagnosis.
Adam Charzynski said the watches he gave to Goatley had been part of his retirement plan, and since the scam had experienced prolonged anxiety, distress and physical exhaustion.
Richard Harbord said he wanted to sell his Rolex to avoid bankruptcy, which he was unable to do when Goatley disappeared with the watch.
Kerry Tomkins said she had wanted to help her daughter pay for her wedding, and the scam meant she had not been able to get married yet.
Kevin Amphlett wanted to sell jewellery after his wife passed away to help pay the rent on his retirement house and to travel. He said: “I wanted to enjoy the rest of my life. What Jamie did has taken that away from me.”
Thelma Lewis, who is nearly 90, wanted to sell jewellery to help her daughter pay a £5,000 bill for roof repairs. She said: “I feel so foolish. A simple desire to help my daughter has turned into a source of constant worry and anxiety.”
Shelley Gorys, who asked Goatley to sell a Patek Philippe watch, said: “I was overwhelmed by disbelief and embarrassment. I can’t comprehend how someone could look me in the eye, enter my home, gain my trust and deceive me so badly.”
Jane Paget-Andrews said the Rolex Submariner she gave Goatley was her late husband’s prize possession.
Neha Surana gave Goatley jewellery her father had given her to provide her with financial security.
Barry White wanted to sell a watch to pay for surgery to his shoulder.
He also asked the judge to commend Detective Constable Graham Gray, the officer in charge of the investigation, for his painstaking work in putting the case together – which Judge Griffith happily agreed with.
Judge Griffith also asked what had happened with a jeweller in Brighton which had bought some of the valuables at knock down prices. Mr Hucklesby said they had been spoken to. The name of the jeweller was not revealed at today’s hearing.
Finally some justice for his victims.
His 50th birthday in prison – his poor mum how embarrassing.