While being investigated for fraud, Jeffrey Houston then engaged in a ‘campaign’ of stalking against two women during which he claimed to be a “psychic medium” and called himself Harry Potter and James Bond
A man “targeted” a vulnerable person with learning difficulties and in less than a month drained his back account of his £40,000 inheritance from his late father, a court has heard.
While being investigated by police for that matter, Jeffrey Houston began a “campaign” of stalking against a female PCSO and a woman who worked for a community outreach charity during which he claimed to be a “psychic medium” and called himself Harry Potter and James Bond.
The 28-year-old defendant, who has a history of violent offending, was made the subject of a hospital order under the Mental Health Act with a judge telling him that if he had not received a diagnosis of a psychotic illness he would be receiving a prison sentence “well over” two years in length.
Tom Scapens, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that the complainant in the first set of offending was an adult male with learning difficulties which made him vulnerable.
He said the male needed help with daily tasks though he did have a degree of independence.
The court heard that, following the death of the complainant’s father, he was left some £40,000 as an inheritance, and though he had access to the bank account containing the money it was not used for day-to-day spending.
The prosecutor said that in 2020 the victim met Houston via a mutual friend, and at some stage he disclosed to the defendant the existence of the inheritance.
The prosecutor said Houston then set about “ruthlessly exploiting” the vulnerable man, setting up an online banking facility for the complainant, taking him Christmas shopping, and asking for “loans” of large sums of money which he claimed he needed to pay off debts from court proceedings in Manchester.
The court heard subsequent checks had shown no such debts.
The prosecutor said that on one day alone – December 29, 2020 – the complainant made six transfers into Houston’s bank account each of £1,000.
He said that in just under a month Houston took some £39,289 from his victim, money which was “callously taken for nothing more than his pure selfish greed”.
He said most of the cash had simply been “gambled away” by the defendant. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter
The court heard that in February, 2021, the complainant mentioned to the sister of his partner that Houston owed him a significant amount of money.
The sister was unsure what the complainant meant but when she was shown the online banking app she immediately alerted the complainant’s mother who in turn notified the police.
The court heard that the defendant was arrested and in police interview denied knowing the complainant was vulnerable and denied being out to “rinse” him. He was subsequently released under investigation.
In an impact statement from the complainant, which was read to the court by the prosecutor, he said when he first met Houston he had thought his new friend was “okay” and a “fun person”.
He said he was happy to give Houston some money to help him because he was in trouble, and said he didn’t realise Houston was taking money from him.
In a statement from the complainant’s mother, which was also read to the court, she said it was always her fear that one day somebody would come along and take advantage of her son.
She said she felt ashamed that she did not protect her son and that the fact he had fallen victim to “such deceit and manipulation” caused her distress.
The court heard that Houston had not paid back a single penny of the money he took, and that no proceeds of crime action was being taken against him as he had no assets. The victim’s bank has refunded the cash which was fraudulently taken.
The court heard that Houston came to the attention of police again in November, 2023, following reports of concerns for the welfare of a man living in a tent in the Broadlands area of Bridgend.
A female PCSO found Houston at the encampment and gave him information about charities and outreach groups in the community which could help, and also gave him her contact details.
The prosecutor said the defendant began emailing the officer and sending her “doodles” and messages in which he claimed to be a psychic medium.
Houston signed the messages, “James Bond”. The prosecutor said some of the messages contained references to the PCSO’s son and it became clear the defendant “had found out about her family”. Houston also began following the officer.
The court heard Houston then began contacting a woman working for a community outreach group, again claiming to be a psychic medium who was a link to famous dead celebrities.
He then started turning up at the organisation’s offices issuing threats that he would kill the woman, staring at her through the windows, and following her when she left the building.
Houston subsequently turned up in the area where the woman lived asking neighbours for her address while claiming to be Harry Potter.
Jeffrey Edward John Houston, of Bryn Awel, Bettws, Bridgend, had previously pleaded guilty to fraud and to two counts of stalking when he appeared in the dock via videolink for sentencing.
He has seven previous convictions for 10 offences, six of which are offences of violence. The prosecutor said following his guilty pleas Houston “began presenting as if he had mental health issues” which led to a series of hearings and then the involvement of psychiatrists.
He said he wanted to make it clear that it was the prosecution case that there had been no mental health issues at the time of the fraud against the vulnerable man.
David Singh, for Houston, said four doctors had examined the defendant and concluded he had a mental illness, though it was not possible to say when it started. He said his client was prepared to work with psychiatrists as part of his sentence.
Judge Paul Thomas KC said the defendant had “targeted” the victim in the fraud matter and taken “cruel advantage” of a particularly vulnerable man.
He said while being investigated for those matters, Houston began a “campaign of stalking” of two women causing them great distress.
The judge said that had the defendant not been diagnosed with a psychotic illness which could be dealt with in a mental hospital he would be about to start a prison sentence of “well over” two years.
Houston was made the subject of a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act.