Disabled Chesterfield man '˜taken in' by door-to-door fish salesman

A retired Chesterfield carer is warning people of the dangers of door-to-door selling after her disabled brother bought almost £300 worth of fish.
Maureen Jordan with her brother Paul Eastburn who has dementia and who was persuaded by a doorstep salesman to buy £300 of fish.Maureen Jordan with her brother Paul Eastburn who has dementia and who was persuaded by a doorstep salesman to buy £300 of fish.
Maureen Jordan with her brother Paul Eastburn who has dementia and who was persuaded by a doorstep salesman to buy £300 of fish.

Maureen Jordan, who lives in Calow, is angry after a tradesman sold the fish to her brother Paul Eastburn - who lives with her because of his dementia.

She is now worried that other vulnerable people - particularly the elderly - might be taken in the same way and wants to warn others who may be at risk.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “I got home and he said to me he’d bought some fish - it was in the freezer in the garage.

Maureen Jordan with the freezer full of fish bought by her brother Paul Eastburn who has dementiaMaureen Jordan with the freezer full of fish bought by her brother Paul Eastburn who has dementia
Maureen Jordan with the freezer full of fish bought by her brother Paul Eastburn who has dementia

“He said the salesman had given him a brochure and asked him what he liked which is smoked fish.

“The salesman then asked him if he had enough space in the freezer for three loaves of bread.”

After agreeing the sale outside their Freydon Way home, the salesman told Paul that he wanted £100 in cash and would take another £187 off his card.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I wouldn’t mind but some of it was out of date as well - some of it was use by the second and the third which was the day and the day before Paul bought it,” she explained.

Just some of the fish sold to Paul Eastburn who has dementiaJust some of the fish sold to Paul Eastburn who has dementia
Just some of the fish sold to Paul Eastburn who has dementia

“When I rang the police up they said this sort of thing is happening all the time - people offering services like roof tiling to people who are easily confused.”

“I’m worried about other people being taken in by this sort of thing - especially elderly people - I can’t bear to see vulnerable people exploited.”

Paul - who is 70 - has lived with Maureen and her partner Ian Green for 11 years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Maureen says her brother’s dementia is not particularly severe but it does make him an easy target for unscrupulous people.

“I would have just told them to go away but Paul can be quite gullible - he just gets taken in,” she said.

Related topics: