Victims 'conned in fake gem scam'

A man conned people into spending tens of thousands of pounds on fake gemstones made of concrete and glass, Northampton Crown Court has heard.

Patrick Dlodlo, 58, whose last known address was in Tilbury, Essex, denies charges of conspiracy to commit fraud between January and May last year.

The court heard he was convicted of the same scheme 18 months earlier.

Mr Dlodlo said stones found when he was arrested were kept as "memories" of his previous scam, the court was told.

The court heard Mr Dlodlo, who is being tried in his absence, and another man were arrested last May when they were seen driving the wrong way down a one-way street.

They were arrested on suspicion of immigration offences and when officers searched the car they found two fake stones, a laptop, and paraphernalia including jewellers' tools for measuring gems' size and hardness.

The case continues.