A fraudster from Liverpool has been sentenced to six years and six months in prison after admitting to defrauding a couple from Chester out of more than £360,000.
Damien Tideswell, 42, of Hale Drive, Liverpool, appeared at Chester Crown Court on July 26, 2024, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud. He was also convicted of breaching court bail by failing to attend his original sentencing date in an attempt to evade justice.
The case stemmed from Operation Gains, launched by Cheshire Police in July 2021 after reports that the Chester couple had been defrauded of £360,200. Tideswell, a trusted family friend, had falsely claimed he had £3.5 million in an account frozen by HMRC due to unpaid taxes. He persuaded the couple to lend him money, assuring them he would repay it once his accounts were unfrozen.
To further deceive his victims, Tideswell provided forged documents, fabricated images, and even orchestrated fraudulent phone calls. However, he never repaid any of the borrowed money and continued to solicit more funds, prompting the couple to report him to the police.
Tideswell was arrested in December 2021 following a warrant executed at his home. An investigation revealed that the vast majority of the funds he received had been squandered on gambling, with £181,890 going to online betting companies. His spending spree included over £22,000 on car rentals, £19,000 on UK hotels, nearly £10,000 on bars and restaurants, and thousands on designer clothing and foreign holidays.
Detective Constable Gareth Yates from the Economic Crime Unit at Cheshire Police commented on the case: “The victims trusted Tideswell, as he was a close family friend. Over the months, he spun a web of lies about having access to millions. Ultimately, he received 42 payments from the couple between August 2017 and February 2019, reassuring them he would return their money. Instead, he squandered it on gambling and a lavish lifestyle.”
The victims have been left financially devastated, unable to enjoy the retirement they had worked hard for. While none of their money has been recovered, Yates hopes Tideswell’s sentencing will provide some closure to the couple.
