Conman arrested twice on probation but released

A British man believed to have defrauded at least five foreigners out of deposits for non-existent apartments in Malta was arrested twice last year while on probation without being jailed, The Sunday Times has learnt.

Last January, this newspaper reported how a man identifying himself as Jamie Paul Day was offering rooms for rent at competitive prices in seemingly plush apartments in St Julian's and Sliema on the website justlanded.com, which offers advice and listings to expatriates worldwide.

When prospective visitors e-mailed from abroad to express interest, he would ask for a deposit via Western Union or Moneygram but cease all contact after receiving the money. Five people showed this newspaper evidence that they had fallen victim to Mr Day's deposits scam.

A court judgment dated November 23, 2009, shows that British citizen Jamie Paul Day, 31, was originally placed on probation in Malta on July 5, 2009. On November 23, he was given a "last opportunity to rectify his misdeeds" by the court after he was found guilty of credit card fraud while on probation.

However, just days later he was arrested again and taken to St Julian's police station, only to be released.

A police officer at St Julian's police station said Mr Day was known to the police because he was arrested at the end of November for assaulting a woman. He showed this newspaper the police record of his arrest, which occurred a few days after he was given one final chance by the court, and included Mr Day's date of birth and passport number.

The details matched those contained in the passport scan Mr Day sent to victims of his deposits scam. The officer in charge of the arrest was the same one who had arraigned Mr Day for credit card fraud, which led the court case on November 23.

After his release, Mr Day defrauded a least one more person out of a deposit for an apartment. French student Clarisse Collard, the most recent victim of the scam to come forward, sent a €70 deposit via Western Union on January 26 - two days after The Sunday Times reported the scam.

Another victim sent a deposit to Mr Day on November 24, 2009 - the day after he was given a final chance by the court. Two other victims also sent deposits to Mr Day last November.

Despite Mr Day being no stranger to the police, two victims of the deposits scam who reported the crime together at St Julian's police station on February 15 have not heard anything about the investigation since.

The police have failed to respond to questions sent repeatedly by The Sunday Times over the past three weeks asking why he was released last November and what stage the investigation into the deposits scam has reached.

pcooke@timesofmalta.com