A MAN who fleeced a customer out of thousands of pounds after failing to carry out gardening work is facing a jail sentence.

Walter Brown, 54, agreed to carry out gardening work for an Edinburgh man and also obtained loans from the man.

Brown obtained large loans from John Keating and agreed to carry out £15,000 of gardening work at the man’s home.

But after receiving a large cash sum, Brown failed to turn up to do the work and also failed to pay Mr Keating any of the loan money back.

Brown, of Whitehill Mains Farm, Musselburgh appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Monday, where he admitted the offence.

Sheriff Kenneth McGowan deferred sentence on Brown to November 15 for background reports.

Brown admitted to agreeing to undertake gardening work to the value of £15,000 and receiving £9,000 but not completing the work at an address in Edinburgh between December 14, 2016, and October 17 last year.

He also admitted to obtaining loans from Mr Keating and obtaining a total of £16,450 by fraud.