Hotel fraudster "had gout"

Hotel fraudster Matthew Davidge blamed his lifestyle for his inability to do work odered by a court.

The 44 year old said his attacks of gout meant he could accomplish unpaid work for the community.
Davidge of Larbreck Avenue,Blackpool,Lancs was ordered to do 180 hours work but six months later he had done just seven,a judge was told.
Davidge admitted breaching the terms of a 90 day suspended jail term which included the work order when he appeared before District Judge Roger Lowe at Blackpool.
The judge heard how the original sentence had been given to Davidge for conning hotels in Lancashire and Cumbria out of accommodation and meals.
He then used the excuse of having gout attacks to avoid to the unpaid work.
Neal Brooks, prosecuting,said that Davidge told probation staff he was either going to hospital or his GP with gout which made it difficult to walk.
"In the space of six months he did just seven hours work out of the 180 hours," said the prosecutor.
"He was sentenced as a confidence trickster and we have reason to believe he was conning us with the gout excuse."
The judge told Davidge:" I am bailing you on the basis you must provide medical evidence that you are a gout sufferer."

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