A CONMAN who swindled people out of money at a fake auction in Huddersfield has narrowly escaped a prison sentence.
Brian Young invited people to bid for games consoles, televisions and other electrical items at an event at the Deighton Sports Arena in November.
He placed ringers in the crowd to get the auction started.
They were given real products after seemingly winning the bid.
But genuine bidders were given counterfeit and faulty goods instead, packaged as the real thing.
Young, 50, of Leeds, carried out similar cons in Bradford and Hull, where he was caught in a swoop by police and Trading Standards officers.
He was said to have earned thousands of pounds from the scam.
Young pleaded guilty to fraud and participating in a fraudulent business at Hull Crown Court.
He has been sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay court costs of £2,500.
