���˿���

Two brothers who tricked people into posting non-existent items for sale online and collected the profits from dozens of victims have been jailed.

Calvin and Jared Ainsworth, 26 and 31, ran the nationwide eBay sales scam, duping at least 115 people.

One woman was forced to re-mortgage her home, police said.

Calvin Ainsworth was jailed for five years and seven months, while his older brother was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

"Some victims were chased by debt collection agencies and suffered huge amounts of stress... while the Ainsworths spent their criminal cash on luxury holidays," Det Con Louise Watt, of West Midlands Police, said.

She added she believed the 115 victims, from the West Midlands, Blackpool, Manchester and Leeds, were "the tip of the iceberg".

Calvin Ainsworth, of no fixed address, was arrested in Rugeley in 2015 but skipped bail and fled to The Philippines where he was later joined by his brother, the force said.

He pretended to run a recruitment agency looking for people to sell phones and tablets on eBay.

More than £100,000 was collected from the victims by Jared Ainsworth and his partner Ameena Hussain, who acted as "couriers" for the fake company, police said.

Calvin Ainsworth admitted 35 counts of fraud by false representation at Birmingham Crown Court.

Jared Ainsworth, of Cavendish Street, Sheffield, admitted possessing criminal property and a Taser, which he was carrying during his arrest at Manchester Airport, as well as making untrue statements to obtain a passport.

Hussain, 26, of Hatherley Road, Sheffield, previously admitted possessing criminal property and making untrue statements to obtain a passport. She was jailed for 16 months, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 150 hours of community work, in March 2018.

Follow ���˿��� West Midlands on , on , and .