A fraudster who allegedly conned money out of pub landlords by posing as comedian Peter Kay’s BROTHER was the subject of a nationwide manhunt today.
Peter Stead, 50, told pub owners in Derby he was the Phoenix Nights star’s lesser-known sibling Danny Kay and took bookings for charity stand-up shows.
After receiving a deposit for the bogus appearances, the dad-of-three disappeared and failed to perform, according to police.
One incident in summer 2009 saw Stead offer to put on a comedy fundraiser for a fund set up in memory of seven-year-old Lewis Mighty who died from a rare form of cancer.
Police yesterday warned that the conman could be repeating the scam around the country and appealed for information about his whereabouts.
A Derbyshire Constabulary spokesperson said: “Officers want to speak to Peter Stead in connection with the incidents.
“It is thought that he could be anywhere in the country.”
Police issued the fresh appeal yesterday following a BBC Crimewatch appeal in 2010 which failed to track down the roller shutter salesman.
Speaking at the time, Lewis’ mum, Jaime, said: “‘Hopefully, someone watching will know him or will have seen him and have information that will help the police track him down.
“Lots of people from Derby gave him money in good faith thinking that it would go to Lewis’s fund.
“The worry is now that this man is somewhere else in the country doing the same thing to someone else.”
Stead has previously been jailed for claiming he was related to the roly-poly stand-up comic from Bolton, Lancs.
In 2003 he was handed a 15-month sentence after using his resemblance to the star to trick fans into believing he could get them VIP tickets to his shows.
Manchester Crown Court heard that Stead had been earning a modest living working the comedy circuit in Blackpool when a friend remarked on his resemblance to Peter Kay.
The struggling stand-up stopped performing under his real name and assumed the moniker ‘Danny Kay’ and began tricking audiences at social clubs in thinking he was the star’s brother.
He swindled three people, including a mother and daughter, out of #220.
