Team DailyPedia
Swansea, South Wales – 47-year-old Alan Knight faked his coma for two years to avoid charges after he scammed his neighbor out of £40,000.
The conman and his family connived in claiming he was in a vegetative condition hooked up to an oxygen tank.
Allan broke his neck after falling backwards as he pulled down the garage door, his wife Helen said.
The fraudster declared he had seizures from his injury which resulted to him being in a coma.
An investigation revealed that the whole time, Allan was carrying out a 3-year plan of scamming his neighbor’s shares and life savings.
His secret was revealed when a CCTV captured him walking around a store and driving his car. He was also caught on CCTV at the Seven bridge toll on the M4 and in Tesco stores across the country after police traced the use of his family loyalty club card.
Alan was then brought before Swansea Crown Court where he pleaded guilty of stealing 40,000 pounds from his next door neighbor.
He was charged with multiple counts of theft and making a false representation for gain, reports ABC News.
According to reports, Allan ‘systematically’ squeezed out a total of £41,570 from Ivor Richards. This money was used to buy a caravan and pay for the holidays.
Whenever police officers try to bring him to court, he would always have an excuse that he was in the hospital and that his condition got worse.
But the doctors claim seeing him eating, wiping his face, and even writing.
He finally attended court in a wheel chair wearing a neck brace after he was told he would have to stand trial even if he is not present.
“His appearance in court now is at variance with his appearance in CCTV footage. Aspects of this case in my experience are unique, and a strong message needs to be sent out to anyone who seeks to adopt similar tactics. Having seen the CCTV evidence from Tesco and driving the car, I have come to the conclusion he is putting it on. Attempts to make progress have been thwarted by Mr. Knight pretending to be ill. Although a very accomplished and determined actor, he is nothing like in the condition he claims to be, and the conditions he claims to be suffering from are simply non-existent. His illnesses coincide with impending court appearances. I do not believe the symptoms are genuine. He has been monitored, despite attempts to maintain the fiction. He was seen wiping his face and writing things down, which are inconsistent with being paraplegic or in a coma,” Judge Thomas said.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the bank had reimbursed Richards’ money.
