SWEET talker

When it comes to being a con-artist some people are just naturals. The Leinster Leader ran a court report on Paul Delaney from Kildare town, Ireland, who, despite the previous convictions for fraud, was able to persuade a number of business people to pay cash deposits for non-existent equipment. It was a classic advance-fee fraud in which he took around €1,000 from each of his targets.
The Garda officer who prosecuted the case commented in court: "I've known the defendant for the past 15 years and if he had to go to work as a salesman he would be the country's number one salesman if he slapped a suit on himself."
Delaney (44) claimed in court the money went on booze and asked for help in dealing with his drink problem. The judge told him he could find out about that in jail and sentenced him to two years.