A 'DESPICABLE' conman who scammed an unsuspecting Greenock homeowner out of thousands of pounds before frittering the money away on a gambling addiction has been given a jail warning by a sheriff.

Fraudster Joseph Boyle must repay his victim over the 'landscape gardening' swindle or face time behind bars for his callous crime.

Boyle, 41, has been ordered to start reimbursing the woman from whom he deceitfully obtained £2,200 for an undelivered landscaping job.

He was convicted of pretending to the Fancy Farm Place resident that he would complete garden works at her property between June and September 2021.

Prosecutor Fergus Warner told a sentencing hearing at the sheriff court that Boyle's victim had been planning the refurbishment of grounds around her address and had met with him at her home to discuss it.

A verbal agreement was reached and Boyle quoted the woman £2,200 for the work, which she transferred to his bank account on June 22, 2021 'for the purchase of materials'.

Fiscal depute Mr Warner said: "Subsequently, the complainer made attempts to contact the accused and did contact him by phone and text message asking when the materials would be arriving.

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"He did reply, saying he was waiting on goods and the availability of staff to assist him.

"This contact went on for a period of time.

"The complainer then asked for the money to be returned to her.

"No work was carried out and no money was received."

The matter was reported to police and following his arrest, Boyle told officers: "I didn't pretend, I fully intended to do the work for her."

Before the court hearing, the complainer requested a compensation order be made but there has been no repayment since.

Defence solicitor Aidan Gallagher said Boyle 'has effectively squandered the money'.

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Mr Gallagher said his client, who was fined in October last year for fraudulently buying booze with a bank card he found in the street, 'receives substantial benefits' as a result of life-changing injuries he suffered in a serious road accident.

The lawyer added: "The accident happened at around the same time as he received the money for the job.

"He received compensation for the accident and has frittered and squandered that as well."

Referencing the contents of a background report prepared for the hearing, Sheriff David Pender told the court Boyle 'spent this lady's money while he was in hospital on a gambling addiction'.

The sheriff added: "I think this is a despicable offence and on one view I could send you to prison today but if I do that we are deferring getting this money back to this lady."

Sentence was deferred until March 26 for Boyle, of Hillend Place, to bring £400 to court towards the repayment of the total sum.

Sheriff Pender told him: "If you squander this money I will send you to prison and the lady can sue you if she wants."