Suspended Sentence For Bogus Charity Worker
Charlotte Taylor banned from knocking on doors for five years
Charlotte Taylor
A bogus charity worker who tried to obtain money from householders in the Fulham area has been given a suspended jail sentence and has been banned from knocking on doors unsolicited for five years.
31-year-old Charlotte Taylor was active across west London targeting the elderly in particular with fraudulent claims that she was raising funds for charity. She knocked on doors asking for donations for organisations that support women and girls who had been the victims of violence. She carried a clipboard with sheaths of sponsorship forms and became famous for her ‘sob stories’
She was given a four-week prison sentence (suspended for 12 months), at Westminster Magistrates’ Court after admitting fraud by false representation.
“This bogus charity worker preyed on the elderly. But thanks to a great police investigation, she’s been brought to justice,” said Cllr Sue Fennimore, Deputy Leader of H&F Council.
Taylor was also made subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) and a drug rehabilitation programme.
The court was told that Ms Taylor was not a registered fundraiser. Members of local charities which do raise money for violence against women and girls made representations to the court as part of the evidence against Taylor.
Under the conditions of the CBO, which will last for five years, she:
- Must not throughout Greater London call at any residential address with intent to, or in order to solicit money
- Ask any person for charitable donations
- Be in possession of any article, container, or correspondence for the use of charitable donations.
The warning about Taylor was issued by the OWL Neighbourhood Messaging service.
Doorstep scammers commonly target older people. In fact, 85% of victims of such scams are aged 65 and over according to National Trading Standards.
June 28, 2019