A MAN who defrauded a friend of nearly one-thousand pounds after he'd died has been sentenced.

At Salisbury Crown Court yesterday (Thursday, April 8), Patrick Egerton, aged 25, from Spiders Island, Alderbury, was sentenced to 14-weeks in prison, suspended for 18-months.

He'd pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation at an earlier hearing in March 2021.

During police investigations, Egerton claimed he had developed a friendship with a Salisbury man in his 20s who had died in November 2018.

In January 2019, family members of the deceased man went to close his bank account only to find that its complete contents of £960 had been transferred, in two transactions, to an account held by Egerton.

The family became suspicious of why this had happened and contacted police.

Egerton claimed that this was money rightly owed to him after he had loaned the amount to his friend before he died.

Following yesterday's sentencing, Det Con Roxanne Whitton said: "Throughout the investigation Egerton continually denied his involvement and made false claims that his friend and family had willingly given him the money which was owed to him.

"His untrue claims resulted in this case being drawn out longer than necessary which made it extremely painful for the victim's family who were unable to grieve in peace during this time.

"I hope now that Egerton has admitted to carrying out the fraud and has been punished, the family can at last have some closure and grieve properly."

As part of his sentencing, Egterton is also required to carry out 100 hours voluntary work and undertake 50 days of a rehabilitation course.

Get more Salisbury news and nominate your local heroes for the South Wiltshire Hero Awards.

You can also like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date.

If you want online news with fewer ads, unlimited access and reader rewards - plus a chance to support our local journalism - find out more about registering or a digital subscription.

Email newsdesk@salisburyjournal.co.uk with your comments, pictures, letters and news stories.