A FRAUDSTER conned would-be flat tenants out of £4,425 to fund cancer treatment for his wife back home in Slovakia.

Miroslav Sestak admitted obtaining money by deception from five people who had contacted him to sort out accomodation in Worcester.

He left all of them out of pocket in one case threatening to break the legs of one tenant’s boyfriend after he called up Sestak to complain Worcester Magistrates Court heard.

Marie Watton, prosecuting, said Sestak, of Evesham, had taken deposits up front between February and September last year, on properties that he did not even own.

She said: “One lady asked for her money back but it never appeared.

“When her boyfriend contacted Mr Sestak told him ‘If you call again I’ll break your legs’”.

Police were alerted when one tenant investigated the flat he was due to move in after Sestak told him it wasn’t ready because a previous tenant hadn’t moved out.

Finding it empty, the tenant managed to get in touch with the real landlord who said Mr Sestak, of Bewdley Street, had never owned the property.

Miss Watton said: “Mr Sestak told police he had initially taken the cash up front, kept it until the tenant moved in and then passed it on to the landlord.

“However, he said a lot of the money hadn’t made it to anyone else but had been sent by Western Union transfer or through travelling people back to Slovakia.

“He was using it to fund medical treatment for his wife who was suffering from breast cancer.

“When questioned, he told officers she had died four months earlier.”

Rozeena Saghir (correct), in mitigation, said her client was trying to get a copy of his wife’s death certificate and proof the transfered cash was spent on medical bills but this would take five to six weeks.

She said: “He accepts responsibility for all the offences.

“By way of mitigation, he’s trying to obtain the certificates and documents to confirm the money went on medical bills.”

The 30-year-old pleaded guilty to commiting fraud by taking £750 on a flat he did not own to make a personal gain on Friday, March 7, 2008.

He admitted similar separate charges for receiving £575, on the same day, last year, £1,400 on Friday, March 28, and £900, on Thursday, May 1, 2008. The last charge was for receiving £800 on Monday, September 1.

The flats were all located in Canterbury Road, Ronkswood, Rainbow Hill and Brittania Square, in the city centre.

Magistrates ordered an all-options pre-sentence review and sent the case to Worcester Crown Court where Sestak will receive sentence on Friday, May 1.

He was conditionally bailed until that date.