JAMIE Brever has admitted conning internet shoppers out of almost £3,000 after falling into debt with a loan shark when his benefits were stopped.

Brever, 22, of Hazlemere Close, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation at Swindon Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The offences involved 12 different victims, and similar allegations were taken into consider- ation during the hearing.

Kate Prince, prosecuting, said Brever set up accounts on eBay and Gumtree to sell goods he had no intention of delivering on.

She said: “Jamie Fuller had responded to an advert on Gumtree for an X-Box and other items for the price of £790, and he transferred the full amount to Mr Brevers account but never received any of those items.

“He requested the money back but never received any response. Another victim again provided money into Mr Brever’s bank account but never received the items. There are nine offences taken into consideration of a similar nature, in respect of an advert on Facebook for the sale of a caravan in Devon.

“People were alerted to the fact it was being advertised as a particularly cheap caravan for the price being offered. Thankfully some of the victims have received money back from Mr Brever.

“Considering the totality of the offending, the total amount of fraud that could have been committed is £2,671 among the 12 victims before you.

“It is consistent offending over a long period of time. The largest amount of money still outstanding is to Jamie Fuller, who is £790 out of pocket.

“Mr Brever appears before you with previous fraud offences, and he is subject to a community order for very similar offences.

“He admitted these matters, claiming he owed a large amount of money to loan sharks.”

Tony Novogrodski, defending, said Brever had fallen into debt and been taken in by an accomplice, who has not had any charges brought against them.

He said: “This is an unusual case for Mr Brever. He is a young man who has learning difficulties and a speech problem.

“He tells me he has been diagnosed as having a mental age of an eight-year-old.

“When these offences happend his benefit had been stopped because it was thought he was not actively looking for work.

“Being particularly stupid, he went off and spoke to a loan shark about £1,000, and obviously he needed to repay that.

“He then met another man who suggested he might be able to get money quickly over the internet, who set up an account through which they would share the proceeds. Mr Brever went along with it.

“It was set up in his own name, leading straight back to him, and the money was paid straight into Mr Brever’s bank account.

“There are 12 victims in the offences, but some did not pay any money because they smelled a rat immediately.

“The other chap got away with it, the loan shark got away with it, and Mr Brever is left to pick up the pieces.

“He has repaid the loan shark and got himself into full-time employment.”

The court heard Brever owes £1,302 in fines for previous matters, and adjourned sentencing for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Mary Holland, chair of the bench, said: “The fact of your previous offences and the fact you were committing these offences while under a supervision order was still running means this is serious enough that you are looking at something more than compensation.

“Your next court appearance will be on October 28.”