A SWINDON couple snared by a timeshare conman have described the convicted fraudster as arrogant.

Their comments came as Frank Madden, 61, of Bournemouth, was jailed for 40 months after admitting three counts of fraudulent trading and breaking a suspended sentence order.

The fraudster subjected his victims to high-pressure sales tactics, persuading them to hand over cash for accommodation that they then found themselves unable to book.

A Swindon couple caught up in the timeshare holiday scam told Adver’s sister paper the Bournemouth Echo: “It’s just the sheer arrogance of it. Despite the suspended sentence he just kept going.”

The pair praised Trading Standards for bringing Madden down: “We, like other victims, were caught in his spider’s web of lies and deceit. We’ve felt very foolish.”

Bournemouth Crown Court heard that staff members working for Madden each cold-called 200 people a day. Victims would be invited to presentations for three holiday club companies. Advertised as two hour presentations, the events would often take between four and five hours. Loud music would be played and victims, described in court as “exhausted”, taken to ATMs to withdraw cash.

If they later tried to cancel their contracts during a cooling off period, they were told it would not be possible.

At the time of the latest frauds Madden was serving out a suspended sentence order after being convicted of similar crimes in 2012.

Employee Claire Garland, 29, of Wimborne, pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to provide cancellation rights. She was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Two others were found not guilty, as prosecutors offered no evidence to support the charges.Keith Furneval, 47, of Boscombe, had been charged with fraudulent trading, and Madden’s wife Jean Furneval, 60, of Bournemouth, was charged with money laundering.