LIVERPOOL, UK — A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for impersonating a police officer to scam elderly victims out of more than £50,000, according to Thames Valley Police.
Gavin Butters, of no fixed abode, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court, where he admitted to four counts of fraud by false representation linked to a widespread courier fraud operation targeting elderly people in at least eight UK locations.
Police say victims received fraudulent phone calls from individuals posing as officers or bank investigators, claiming their bank cards were being misused and were needed for evidence. The callers would often threaten arrest if the victims didn’t comply.
Butters then visited the victims’ homes impersonating a police officer to collect the cards, cash, or jewellery.
One major incident involved a woman in her 70s from Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire, who was contacted on 7 January 2025 by someone claiming to be from Scotland Yard’s Action Fraud. Over six hours of coercive phone calls, she was told she’d be arrested if she didn’t turn over her cards.
Butters later collected the cards and used them to purchase iPhones worth £5,896.
The investigation was a joint effort between Thames Valley Police, Merseyside Police, and Cheshire Constabulary.
Detective Constable Claire Nangle said:
“Butters showed a complete disregard for his victims by pressuring them to co-operate in his fictional covert operation, taking advantage of their trusting nature. This sentence reflects the seriousness of his offending, aggravated by the fact that he systematically targeted vulnerable, elderly victims.”
Butters was sentenced on 19 May 2025 after entering guilty pleas.
