Scarborough husband and wife sentenced to combined nine-and-a-half years in jail after stealing nearly £200,000 from OAP

Steven Kantecki (43) and Sarah Kantecki (39) of Ramshill Road appeared at Hull Crown Court yesterday (July 21) for sentencing after a jury found them both guilty of theft.

Sarah Kantecki was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

The court heard how the duo stole a vulnerable elderly man’s life’s savings.

The Kanteckis manipulated their victim after luring the man into a false sense of security that they were two people he could count on and trust as his carers.

Over the course of an 11-month period the couple stole £196,000 from their victim.

In that time, the Kanteckis overindulged at the elderly man’s expense by buying excessive amounts of designer goods.

The duo pleaded not guilty, resulting in the elderly victim’s family having to withstand the details of their crime at trial.

Det Sgt David Porteus said: “The only place the Kanteckis deserve to be is behind bars, so the sentencing is welcomed.

“Fraud can be an extremely distressing offence to become a victim of, especially when the level of offending is of this magnitude.

“I hope that this result will provide the victim’s family with some comfort in knowing that they can no longer cause harm to vulnerable people in the community.

“Sometimes people may feel embarrassed that they fell for a ‘scam’ and choose not to report fraud or seek advice about it.

“Please remember that anyone can be a victim of fraud.

"Fraudsters constantly reinvent themselves to find new ways of tricking people.

“If you think you might have been a victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud by visiting actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

"Alternatively, call Humberside Police on 101. In an emergency or if a crime is in progress, dial 999."