Man, 89, is oldest criminal in county

Man, 89, is oldest criminal in county
Saturday, August 29, 2009, 07:30

AN 89-year-old man who used credit cards and online bank accounts to commit fraud is the oldest criminal in Derbyshire.
He is just one of 260 over-70s to be arrested in the past three years, according to new figures released by Derbyshire police.
So far this year, 67 pensioners have been detained for criminal offences ranging from common assault, racially or religiously aggravated harassment and theft.
Other offences in Derbyshire include an 87-year-old man convicted for criminal damage and an 82-year-old arrested for malicious wounding.
Over the past three years, one 71-year-old man was charged with trafficking cocaine while others were arrested for sexual assaults, burglary, false imprisonment and making threats to kill.

There were more than 70 thefts from shops over the three years, with 18 taking place in the first half of 2009.
Southern Derbyshire Pensioners' Association says that people over the age of 65 could be turning to crime to top up their state pension.
It believes the figures should be a catalyst for the Government to raise it beyond the current level of £165 per week.
And an Age Concern spokesman said the statistics show that anyone, regardless of age, was capable of committing crime.
The figures, which were obtained through a Freedom of Information request to Derbyshire police, show there were 113 crimes committed by pensioners in 2007. In 2008, there were 88 offences. Nationally, pensioners are said to be responsible for about 2,000 crimes a year out of a total of several million.
Ann Crosby, chairwoman of Southern Derbyshire Pensioners' Association, said the figures only amounted to a very small proportion of crimes committed across the county.
She said: "As a population, the number of older people is growing, so it's no surprise that the number committing crimes is growing as well.
"The fact that a lot of the crimes are for offences such as shoplifting could be an indication of the low income that pensioners have.
"I am not excusing people committing crime, but it could be a reason."
A study by Prudential, one of Britain's biggest pension companies, found that more than 100,000 pensioners have turned to – or considered turning to – crime to top up their pensions.
The biggest increase has been in fraud, while others have turned to drug dealing and even robbing banks.
A spokeswoman for Age Concern described the figures as a "phenomenon of society".
She said: "There is no justification for criminal behaviour at any time of life.
"However, people over 70 are responsible for only a tiny share of the almost five million crimes committed in England and Wales last year."
Earlier this year, Brian and Sheila Tasker, 72 and 60, of Chaddesden, pleaded guilty to operating a consumer credit business without a licence.
The pair loaned out large sums of cash and used threats of violence over a 10-year period to make sure the money was paid back with huge interest.
They raked in tens of thousands of pounds a year and were given 12-month prison terms, suspended for two years, at Derby Crown Court.
In 2007, 87 people between the age of 70 and 79 committed offences, 24 people between 80 and 85, with two 86-year-olds and an 87-year-old also being arrested.
Last year, 77 people aged between 70 and 79 carried out crime, five pensioners between 80 and 85, as well as an 86-year-old, two 87-year-olds, an 88-year-old and 89-year-old.
So far this year, 51 pensioners between 70 and 79 have committed offences, 12 people aged between 80 and 85, and two 87-year-olds, an 88-year-old as well as the 89-year-old fraudster, who was charged.
A spokeswoman for Derbyshire police said figures for crimes such as sexual offences may refer to offences committed when people were younger.
She said: "There are cases where people report offences many years after they occur.
"However statistics show age is no bar to criminal activity."