A MAN has avoided jail for his part in a group scam involving motorbikes advertised by people on social media.

Liam Webster, 25, of Shetcliffe Lane, Bierley, Bradford, faced two charges of fraud by false representation.

In the first incident, on July 6 last year, Webster was part of a group that answered a Facebook Marketplace advert posted by a man who wanted to sell an off-road dirt bike.

Webster’s group agreed to meet the man who was selling the bike with a fee of £3,000 for the vehicle confirmed. At the meeting to complete the transaction, the man waited for one-and-a-half hours for the transfer of the money to his account to go through, which it did not.

Webster even rode off on the bike the man was selling. He was successfully picked out by the man selling the bike at a police identification parade on September 7 last year.

In the second incident, on July 21, 2022, again Webster and his group answered a post on Facebook Marketplace, this time from a man who was selling a black motorbike.

At the face-to-face meeting to complete this transaction, Webster was one of four men who met the man. Once again, the man selling the bike was forced to wait for 90 minutes while the transfer of the money, this time for £4,500 was completed, which again it was not. This time, the seller agreed for the bike to be taken away by the group. Webster, who pleaded guilty to both charges, has 16 previous convictions for 53 offences committed between 2013 and 2020, including 13 dishonesty charges, Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday, May 12.

He was jailed for 10 months, suspended for 24 months, to run concurrently, for the two charges.

In mitigation, the court heard Webster was not the main person who organised the financial side of the operation. His mitigating counsel added he has a stable relationship and two children and now has the motivation to change his ways.

Recorder Paul Reid told Webster he was part of a relatively sophisticated scam: “This behaviour was utterly disgraceful.

“You and a number of other men clearly indulged in a planned enterprise of fraud in order to deprive innocent members of the public of their property.

“This is a chance to show that you can behave in a responsible, adult fashion and look after your partner and two children.”

Webster was also ordered to carry out 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and to take part in 180 hours of unpaid work in the community.