Brit Who Wrote Book on Defrauding Bookmakers Jailed for Defrauding Bookmakers

A grifter who wrote a book titled How and Why I Conned the Bookies has been jailed for 21 weeks for defrauding bookmakers in Wales.

Jason Haddigan was described by prosecutors as a “notorious conman” who has been banned from every retail betting outlet in the UK. Not surprising, when you consider his literary output.

Haddigan pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and two counts of fraud by false representation at Swansea Crown Court earlier this month. This was in relation to the theft of more than £3,000 from bookmakers in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, both counties in Wales.

The Ol’ Switcheroo

According to prosecutors, Haddigan’s modus operandi was to “befriend and confuse” staff at the bookmaking outlets before employing sleight of hand to produce a winning betting slip.

His technique was to befriend cashiers in betting shops, gaining their trust,” explained PC Jade Probert.

“He would then deliberately scribble and forge betting slips and use his knowledge of the working procedures and equipment they use to con the cashier with a sleight of hand technique to switch the original slip for a forged one,” Probert said.

At a betting shop at Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, on May 27, 2019, Haddigan placed a bet on a greyhound race for later that day and spent the afternoon in the shop chatting to the cashier, gaining her trust.

After the race, he pretended he couldn’t remember which dog he had bet on. The cashier gave him back the original betting slip, which he surreptitiously amended with the winning dog’s number, giving himself a “win” of £1,600 ($2,202).

‘Complex Individual’

The next day, in Narbeth, Pembrokeshire, Haddigan placed a bet on a horse as close to the start of the race as possible. Minutes later, he asked for his betting slip back, claiming he had forgotten to add the number of the horse. In fact, he already knew the result of the race and simply filled in the winner. This netted a further £1,700 ($2340).

The court heard Haddigan was identified from security footage by the Association of British Bookmakers, to whom he is “well-known.”

Haddigan’s lawyer Ashanti-Jade Walton described her client as a “complex individual” who struggled with anxiety, depression, paranoia, and gambling addiction. His mother has agreed to repay the money he stole from the Welsh bookies, Walton added.

Haddigan was part of a gang that bilked cash from at least 30 bookmaking shops across the UK in 2013 and 2014, for which he served 14 months in prison.

His book is available for sale from Amazon “starting at £150 (US$206).”