SCREAMING and shouting broke out in the public gallery at Worcester Crown Court after a jury convicted a man and two women of a £30,000 nationwide identity theft scam, which included two Worcester pensioners among their victims.

Two defendants, husband and wife Bolaji Bakare and Rhama Jama, also shouted at each other in the dock. The third accused, Lithuanian Sandra Zacharova, was allowed to stay outside the courtroom because she had a small child.

The three will be sentenced next month. Bakare was remanded in custody while the others were given bail but told to surrender their passports and travel documents.

Bakare, aged 33, of Beaconsfield Road, Enfield, Middlesex, was found guilty of six charges of money laundering and one of attempted money laundering. He was also convicted of fraud, attempted theft and possession of criminal property. Jama, 26, of the same address, was cleared on one charge of money laundering but found guilty on five similar charges.

Zacharova, 35, of Willesden Lane, north west London, was convicted of acquiring criminal property totalling £1,300.

Prosecutor Delroy Henry told the court how two Worcester pensioners were targeted for identity theft.

Evelyn Green, aged 90, and James Barber, 85, had their personal details stolen after their homes were put in the hands of estate agents.

Information was gleaned from their mail, which had been redirected to addresses in London. Computer expert Bakare used the internet to make applications for loans and credit cards in their names. Money collected was used to pay for holidays, car repairs, a training course and pay off debts.

The offences happened between August 2005 and June last year. The elderly victims have since died.

Judge David McEvoy QC ordered pre-sentence reports on Bakare, who did not given evidence at the four-week trial, and the two others. He said he was considering recommending Bakare for deportation. He described evidence against the three as overwhelming and exempted the jury from service for five years because of the demanding trial.

After the trial, Detective Constable Manny Sidhu, officer in the case, said it had been a lengthy and detailed investigation. Justice had been done and he was contacting relatives of the victims to inform them of the outcome.