A NOTORIOUS conman who stole £4,000 from a woman who believed he was her partner has been jailed for more than two years and ordered to pay £2,000 in compensation to his victim, after investigators unpicked his web of lies.
A police investigation showed that from the moment they first met, John Cronin was intent on conning his victim.
Cronin, 49, originally from Tranent, was so convincing that when he first disappeared with her cash, the woman, who believed they were a couple, was only concerned for his safety and reported him to West Midlands Police as a missing person.
It was only later when officers started to unravel what had happened that it became clear the 49-year-old had disappeared, taking her money with him.
Investigators found that Cronin’s lies had started at their very first meeting on June 20, 2019, at a pub in Coventry, when he introduced himself as Shane Clancy.
Cronin portrayed himself as a successful businessman, with strong links to churches in Coventry and Birmingham, and handed her a business card – but the details on it were fake.
Police found that the company was fictitious and the phone numbers were dead.
The couple struck up a relationship and about a month later the woman from Coventry was persuaded to withdraw £4,000 from her bank account, believing they were going to buy a car.
Cronin convinced her to let him hold the money for safe keeping – but he then left the Birmingham city centre pub where they had been dining and vanished.
She contacted police within a couple of hours but at that stage she was worried that he was missing.
With support from specially trained officers, the woman, aged 57, provided details about Cronin and his tactics.
Her information, alongside scrutiny of his phone records, bank details and interviews with witnesses, led to Cronin being arrested at his home in Solihull in November last year.
Cronin pleaded guilty to a charge of theft when he appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court.
He was sentenced to 28 months in jail at Birmingham Crown Court and ordered to pay his victim £2,000 in compensation.
Investigating officer Kevin Bird, from the public protection unit, said: “This has been a complex investigation to unpick the lies that Cronin told, and to get to the truth.
“I am delighted for the innocent victim that not only is Cronin now behind bars but that he has been ordered to pay her back £2,000.”
He added: “We hope that this result will also serve as a warning that we will pursue those who prey on others for their own gain.”
Cronin has a number of previous convictions for crimes including sexual assault, theft and fraud.
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