‘Landlord’ con man jailed for rental scam

A FRAUDSTER who advertised flats to let on the internet handed out keys to his new “tenants” which did not fit the locks before disappearing with their cash.

Othman Reggane, 25, claimed to have flats to rent in various parts of Edinburgh, and arranged meetings with new arrivals to the city who saw the advert.

After paying a month’s rent in advance and sometimes a deposit, keys were handed over, but when the victims visited the address they discovered the keys were wrong.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday, Reggane was jailed for seven months and 20 days, having previously pleaded guilty to eight charges of fraud, which netted him £5020, between September 26 and October 1 last year.

Fiscal Depute Bruce Macrosson told the court that Reggane would meet his clients in licensed premises or coffee shops and after the money and keys had been handed over he would leave.

Mr Macrosson said that as the number of reports by the fraud victims increased, the police investigated how Reggane made contact with his victims. This led them to CCTV footage in the various meeting places.