A DISTRAUGHT couple who were the victims of a conman who spent three years buying goods in their name today revealed that their nightmare had returned.

Police have launched an investigation after Steve and Pauline Jackson, of Whitehall Road, Revidge, Blackburn, complained that somebody had used their name and address to rent a phone line from Cable and Wireless.

Three years ago the Jacksons were victims of a conman who used their name and address to buy goods on credit. A man was eventually convicted after he bought thousands of pounds worth of goods on credit from companies including Marks and Spencer, DFS and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The man found an empty house where he asked the gas board to fit a fire so he could get a bill and use it as proof of identity to buy goods. Once he had bought the goods and the bills were not paid the Jacksons were bombarded with phone calls and people coming to their front door demanding money.

Now the couple say their nightmare has returned after Cable and Wireless told the Jacksons they owed the firm £700. Mr Jackson - who was too afraid for a picture of him and his wife to appear in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph - said: "It's incredible. In this country you are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. But Cable and Wireless won't listen to us and have threatened us with the bailiffs.

"Our lives have been a nightmare. My wife is a nervous wreck. We thought the problem had gone away and now it has all started again."

Mike Corrigan, of Farley's Solicitors, Blackburn, who has taken up the couple's case said: "This boils down to companies having done inadequate checks to combat fraudsters.

"If they had checked things out in more detail they would have seen the different ages and things like that.

"If they had acted properly at the start these companies would have saved themselves all this trouble. The thing is that ever since they have been going to extraordinary lengths to get their money back."

A spokesman for Cable and Wireless said the matter was being looked into and investigated thoroughly.

PC Andy Duxbury, of Blackburn Police, said he had dealt with some of the problems three years ago but was unaware of Mr and Mrs Jackson's latest complaint. He said: "They certainly have had some problems and someone was convicted for it. They are decent people and there was quite an in-depth investigation a couple of years ago."

PC Steve Jeffrey is investigating the Jackson's latest wrangle with Cable and Wireless.

He said: "We are aware that someone has used the Jacksons' name and address to rent a phone line from Cable and Wireless.

"We are investigating the problem and we are aware that Mr and Mrs Jackson have nothing to do with this latest bill.

"Mr and Mrs Jackson are very upset about this whole affair and we will be investigating the matter thoroughly."

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