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A conman bagpipe player who pretended to collect cash for people affected by the Hillsborough disaster has been sent to jail.

Angus Carpenter busked in Liverpool draped in a ‘Justice for the 96’ banner on April 14 – the day before the anniversary of the tragedy.

The 62-year-old, of Hunts Cross Avenue, Woolton, was found guilty of fraud in a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

The judge, Recorder Michael Smith, said: “I need to say very little in this court particularly about the Justice for the 96 campaign, which is a cause dear to the hearts of many Liverpudlians.

“It’s a charity to which the people of Liverpool were likely to give generously.

“You were displaying the banner and using the bucket while busking the day before the anniversary of Hillsborough. None of this I’m sure was an accident.

“I’m sure you chose to use the Justice for the 96 banner deliberately and cynically, with a hope it would maximise your earnings.

“It was a mean-spirited offence.”

Carpenter was cleared of two earlier frauds, relating to a fake Help for Heroes sticker and another time he displayed the banner.

Katy Appleton, prosecuting, said he was warned about using the ‘props’ and told it was a “sensitive time” due to the jury inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool FC fans.

Sergeant Chris Gaynor spoke to Carpenter in Church Street in February 2015, as he felt people would think “he was collecting for a registered military charity and not simply for his own pocket.”

Carpenter explained he was having a banner made referring to the disaster and was told if he was not a registered charity collector, it would be a serious offence.

However, Carpenter was seen by two officers in Mathew Street on March 28 with a red and blue banner, stating on both sides “Justice”.

He was again warned, but replied: “I’m just a busker, I’m not collecting for any charity.”

After the props were temporarily seized, PC Philip Towers warned him “in very strong terms” he could be putting himself in danger.

The chairman of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign (HJC), Kenneth Derbyshire, said Carpenter spoke to him at the charity’s shop.

Mr Derbyshire told him he could use a banner in ‘tribute’, but added: “On no account can you collect on our behalf.”

When police told Carpenter to remove the banner in Liverpool city centre on April 14, he refused and said: “I’m going to fight this. I agreed the design with the justice shop.”

Carpenter claimed he previously played at the funerals of two Hillsborough victims, whose names he could not recall, and had been assaulted over the allegations.

He said he only wanted to promote justice and told the jury: “I’ve been attacked over it, scarred for life. My own son won’t speak to me.”

Gary Lawrenson, defending, said it was “a highly unusual case” and urged the judge to suspend any jail sentence.

He said: “In this case the conviction itself is a punishment for reasons really that are, with respect, self explanatory. He has been scared to leave his house.

“I think it’s suffice to say my client won’t be darkening the doors of any court in the future.”

Recorder Smith said the ‘military uniform’ prosecutors alleged Carpenter wore was just traditional Highland dress.

However, he said Carpenter knew the public might think his bucket with a lid cover was a charity bucket.

He said: “You realised members of the public might well be misled into believing wrongly you were collecting money on behalf of the Justice for the 96 campaign and you realised full well that your conduct was dishonest.

“Both the choice of the Justice for the 96 campaign and the date of you were committing this offence are significant aggravating features.”

Recorder Smith said Carpenter insisted he was innocent and entitled to collect money using such a banner.

Jailing him for four months, he said: “That is something you do in future at your peril.

“While you may still think you have done nothing wrong, the people of Liverpool may think differently.”