Former Scottish Tory council leader in court on fraud charges

A FORMER Scottish Tory council leader has appeared in court charged with fraud offences.

Andrew Polson, an East Dunbartonshire councillor who now sits as an independent, pleaded not guilty to allegations of a £188,000 romance fraud at a hearing in February.

Sheriff Joan Kerr set a 15-day trial for September, and a criminal hearing began at Glasgow’s Sheriff Court on Monday, according to the court roll. 

Polson is alleged to have made false representations to a woman, convincing her to invest tens of thousands in a property they would jointly own, only for no rent payments to be made.

One property in Bellshill, and a second in Bearsden, were previously reported to be the focus of the claims. 

Andrew Polson is an independent councillor in East DunbartonshirePolson is further facing allegations of having made false loan applications in the woman’s name, of having obtained £1500 into his own account by telling the Bank of Scotland he was the woman, of two charges of stealing the woman’s bank card.

Separate allegations related to alleged embezzlement from the now liquidated Revival FM and Revival Radio in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, of which Polson was a director.

He is alleged to have embezzled £90,143 between January 2019 and August 2022.

Prosecutor Sean Docherty previously told court that there will be 14 witnesses for the Crown and he is prepared for trial, which is expected to last.

Polson was elected as a Conservative in 2022, but suspended from the party shortly afterwards when the allegations emerged.

Polson co-led East Dunbartonshire council with LibDem councillor Vaughan Moody from 2018 to 2022.