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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Gang jailed over pensioner phone scam | Gang jailed over pensioner phone scam |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Eight men from London have been jailed for a phone scam that defrauded UK pensioners out of more than £1m. | |
| Police say some of the money funded travel from the UK to Syria. There are fears some of those who travelled had links to so-called Islamic State. | |
| Gang leader Makzhumi Abukar was jailed for seven years and four months, alongside accomplices including former X Factor contestant Nathan Fagan-Gayle. | Gang leader Makzhumi Abukar was jailed for seven years and four months, alongside accomplices including former X Factor contestant Nathan Fagan-Gayle. |
| Some of the 140 victims - the oldest of whom was 94 - lost as much as £130,000. | |
| Passing sentence at the Old Bailey, Judge Anuja Dhir said that none of the convicted men had shown any genuine remorse. | Passing sentence at the Old Bailey, Judge Anuja Dhir said that none of the convicted men had shown any genuine remorse. |
| She told the men their crimes would have a "devastating and lasting impact" on the victims, whose average age was 83. | She told the men their crimes would have a "devastating and lasting impact" on the victims, whose average age was 83. |
| Phone scam victim: 'My fears my savings went to Syria' | |
| She praised detectives from Scotland Yard's counter terrorism command who brought the men to justice. | She praised detectives from Scotland Yard's counter terrorism command who brought the men to justice. |
| Speaking about the victims, the judge added: "I was struck by their dignity and their courage when giving evidence about a matter that was so obviously painful for them to relive." | |
| The sentences were: | The sentences were: |
| They will all serve half their sentences before being eligible for release on licence. | They will all serve half their sentences before being eligible for release on licence. |
| Fagan-Gayle received £20,000 from the scam and went on a spending spree. | Fagan-Gayle received £20,000 from the scam and went on a spending spree. |