Haverfordwest dog breeder conned by fake notes (From Western Telegraph)

Haverfordwest dog breeder conned by fake notes

5:10pm Saturday 8th August 2009 in

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A man who “bought” a valuable dog from a breeder in Haverfordwest has been jailed for 18 months.

Joan Sheehan assumed the £2,400 worth of £20 notes were genuine — and handed over the pedigree French bulldog.

However, the following day she tried to place a £20 bet on a horse and was told by an assistant at the bookmakers that the note was a forgery.

Mrs Sheehan became even angrier when the horse won, only without her bet riding on it.

Matthew Jenkins, aged 27, of Clifton Terrace, Llanelli, denied tendering counterfeit bank notes but was convicted after a trial at Swansea Crown Court.

Judge John Diehl told Jenkins it was clear he had been acting on behalf of someone else, maybe a drugs dealer. But still Jenkins refused to name the person.

That person, added the judge, must have “in excess” of the £2,400 supplied to Jenkins and the notes were good enough to dupe Mrs Sheehan.

“Your claims that you did not know the money was counterfeit do not bear examination,” he added.

Mrs Sheehan told the jury how a woman telephoned her expressing an interest in buying the dog and they agreed a price of £2,400.

Jenkins turned up at her home, telling her he was Wayne Davies and from Cardiff.

Mrs Sheehan said she made a note of his address because she had to send him documents proving the dog’s pedigree.

She also made a note of his mobile telephone number.

The name and address turned out to be false and the telephone number she was given had too many digits.

Mrs Sheehan said she did not inspect the bank notes at the time and only realised what had happened when she was in the bookmakers.

She immediately inspected all 120 £20 notes and noticed they shared only three serial numbers between then.

Mrs Sheehan took the money to Haverfordwest police station and identified Jenkins from a video she was shown.