Charlie Smith
A BRITISH conman on the run for 15 years has been cuffed on the Costa del Sol.
Christopher Woodhead, 66, from Huddersfield preyed on the vulnerable and elderly in construction scams totalling €1.6 million.
After being detained by police in San Pedro, the Yorkshireman now faces a six-year prison sentence for the Leeds-based crimes.
The judge in the case labelled him a ‘amoral fraudster’ as he was found guilty of swindling a dozen clients, by taking on building jobs, which he didn’t carry out.
CW, as he was referred to by Spanish cops, was thought to have moved to Canada or Spain, after first disappearing in 2004 with the money he had extracted from firms.
A Policia Nacional spokesperson said: “CW was officially made a wanted man in 2008 and is said to have committed a dozen crimes of fraud in the UK while he was in charge of several firms which sold products to other construction companies.
“The fraud consisted of charging for labour services and not carrying them out.
“He also diverted cash to another company through the fictitious supply of materials and creation of fraudulent invoices.
“He used the income he obtained for his own benefit, on things like holidays and maintenance payments to his ex-wife.”
Woodhead was apprehended on Tuesday on Calle Manuel Cantos in San Pedro.
