A foster parent who allowed his bank account to be used in a five-figure telephone fraud has avoided a prison sentence.
Money taken from an unsuspecting customer was transferred to Henry Bruce’s account. He then withdrew large sums of euros from various outlets which he passed on to a man.
The 50-year-old former operations manager claimed he had no reason to believe anything “sinister” was taking place.
But Sheriff Shiona Waldron said she had “no doubt” he knew or suspected it was dodgy and found him guilty of a charge under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that Bruce, of Scotia Street, Motherwell, went to the Glasgow Fort and Braehead shopping centres in October 2017 and withdrew a total of £10,300 from Marks and Spencer, TUI, Barrhead Travel and Thomas Cook.
He claimed he had been approached by the son of a local takeaway owner who asked for help because he had an issue with his bank card and couldn’t withdraw cash. Bruce agreed to allow money to be transferred to his account, but he said he had no idea of the “huge” sum involved.
Asked by his solicitor, Andy Brophy, what he thought was happening, Bruce replied: “I genuinely thought the man just needed money out of the bank.
“He said he would give me something for my time. I got £120 or £140. I had no reason to think there was anything sinister or wrong.”
Bruce denied he became involved in the scam because money was tight.
He’d given up his job to look after two foster children, but he told the court: “We get paid generous sums for looking after the children which is why I could walk away from a job where I earned £40,000 a year.
“I was happy to help this guy. I thought he was going to give me a meal from the shop in return.”
Sheriff Waldron told Bruce that he’d been convicted of a “very serious” charge, but after considering background reports she was prepared to impose an alternative to a custodial sentence. Bruce will be electronically tagged and can’t leave the house between 7pm and 7am.
