A former bus driver who defrauded a Falmouth couple out of hundreds of thousands and forged their wills has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison.

Sentencing Percival John Harris at Truro Crown Court today Judge Robert Linford told him that he will have to serve half of that sentence before being eligible for parole.

Harris, 59, formerly from Falmouth but now living in Budock, was found guilty in July of two counts of fraud, one of perverting the course of justice, and one each of forging the wills of both Kath and Desmond Moyle from Falmouth.

Harris Mr Moyle in 2014 when the pensioner used to catch Harris's bus to visit his wife Kath at Trevern Care Home, where she had lived since being diagnosed with dementia in 2003.

In time the Moyles came to consider Harris as like a son to them as he started doing everything for them, taking Des to see Kath in his own time and taking him places to do chores and errands, taking them out on day trips and buying them fish and chips at the Penmere fish and chip shop - even organising their funerals.

(Image: Newsquest)

But from 2014 to 2018 he took hundreds of thousands of pounds from their accounts and when they died forged their wills so he got nearly everything. He used it to buy cars and motorbikes and even sold their house and used the money to put towards buying one of his own.

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He got two Big Issue Sellers to sign as witnesses to the forged wills but when his scheme began to unravel he got the Big Issue sellers to sign to say the forged wills were genuine and submitted them to the court perverting the course of justice.

In total Harris took £34,100 in cash from the Moyles' accounts and £235,650 in transfers from the Moyles accounts to his accounts.

Defence barrister Mr Beale told the judge that Harris was a man of good character with no previous convictions who had worked all his life with two sons and a daughter from a previous relationship who had successfully fought to have him live after the authorities put her up for adoption.

Investigating Officer, Detective Constable Isabelle Woodall said: “A five-year investigation has concluded today with the sentencing of a man who was prepared to exploit the most vulnerable in society for his own financial gain.

“The victims in this case had no children and lived remotely, had no way of knowing that the man that they believed to be a devoted friend, was motivated by greed.

“Having identified their vulnerabilities and earned their trust Harris contrived to siphon off their assets, netting what remained following their deaths, despite safeguarding measures which should have protected them.”

DC Woodall added: “His endeavours to avoid justice saw no hesitation on Mr Harris’s part to publicly insult the victims’ families and allow another vulnerable person to face the possibility of conviction for his unwitting part in Mr. Harris’s deception.

“The victims’ families are private people who have found the publicity surrounding this case distressing. Their patience and unwavering support has been commendable.

“It is with sincere thanks to the family, including Mr Alan Tucker who sadly didn’t live to see the conclusion, that this matter has come to light so it may raise awareness and the profile of this exploitative crime.”

Full report to follow.