Fake baby fraudster told to prepare for jail as judge exposes his 'pack of lies'
We reported in September how prolific conman Scott Fraser narrowly avoided a prison sentence after admitting to abducting his then-partner, Debbie McFarlane, in Aberdeen.
Fraser flew into a drunken rage and threatened Ms McFarlane with a knife.
He then held her prisoner in a bedroom for five hours – and scammed her out of £50,000.
Fraser has a baby tattoo on his arm and claims his first wife killed the child in a car crash – but that baby never existed.
In the run-up to the sentencing hearing, Fraser told probation workers he had changed.
But we can now reveal he had viciously assaulted another woman just days earlier in England.
During that shocking attack, 6ft 5in Fraser grabbed the woman on the collar, lifted her off the floor and said: 'You're coming to Aberdeen with me, or I'll kill your f***ing family.
'I won't do it. I'll get someone else to do it. I've got people on speed dial.'
The 57-year-old conman was due to be sentenced today at Chester Crown Court for those actions.
But judge Steven Everett was so taken aback by Fraser's lies, he asked for more reports into Fraser's mind.
Judge Everett said: 'I'm just a bit concerned.
'There were things that troubled me about his behaviour.
'The previous controlling and coercive behaviour towards [Ms McFarlane in Aberdeen] took place some time before [these matters].
'But he committed this offence [in England] two days before [the Aberdeen sentence hearing].
'He committed this offence eight days after he was seen by a probation officer for the pre-sentence report for the Scottish case. It was all in one go.
'There he was saying to the probation order 'well, I'm in a new relationship, I'm abstaining from alcohol, court has been a wake-up call' – but, at the same time, he was exhibiting what appears to be the same sort of controlling behaviour in England.
'Then he strangled the woman and assaulted her on September 25 (after drinking alcohol).
'It really looks to me as though what he was telling the probation officer at that time was a pack of lies.'
Judge Everett called for a full pre-sentence report.
Fraser's historical pattern of offending involves abusing his partner, scamming her out of money, then moving on to a new partner – often while cheating.
On two previous occasions, he asked new partners to drive him to court – while not telling them he was there because he'd assaulted previous partners.
Fraser left Aberdeen in mid-2024 and moved in with his new partner – who we cannot name for legal reasons – in Cheshire, north-west England.
In September 2024, Fraser asked the woman to drive him to a court hearing in Aberdeen, but he did not reveal it was for violence against Ms McFarlane.
A few days before that court hearing, Fraser got angry with the woman at a restaurant because she signed a birthday card for a friend.
Fraser told the woman of his annoyance: 'You've done it again. F*** off.'
The woman returned home, but Fraser followed her and became angry because she would not drive him to Aberdeen for the court hearing.
He told her: 'I'm going to drag you there kicking and screaming.'
Fraser then assaulted the woman, grabbed her phone and said: 'You're not going anywhere' before pinning her by her throat to a wall.
After that ordeal, the woman agreed to drive Fraser to Aberdeen and he was given a three-year community payback order in relation to his actions against Ms McFarlane.
It was only after reading about Fraser's decade of offending in the Press and Journal that his partner from Cheshire ceased all contact with him.
But Fraser was back offending within a week of being sentenced at Aberdeen Sheriff Court last September.
Despite not having a driving licence or insurance, he drove the woman's car to a meeting with probation officers.
For that, he was fined £700, banned from driving for a year and given six penalty points in a separate hearing at Warrington Magistrates Court in February.
He then admitted to assault and intentional strangulation, leading to today's hearing in Chester.
However, Fraser's growing rap sheet appears to have not put off his new partner.
At today's hearing, defence solicitor Paul Wood said: 'Fraser is in a new relationship – his partner is here today.'
Judge Everett interjected, saying: 'That also – frankly – gives me cause for concern. Real cause for concern, I'm afraid.
'The report makes the point – how Fraser moves on from one relationship to another very swiftly.'
Fraser had previously been bailed.
Judge Everett assessed whether Fraser should be remanded behind bars in case he posed a threat of violence to his new partner.
'I think I need to know more about what is happening with this new relationship,' said Judge Everett.
Mr Wood said: 'Your honour – the concerns you have, I had. I've spoken to the new partner [alone] whose letter is before you.
'She said he had stopped drinking, there hadn't been any sort of violence and she wouldn't stand for any.
'She has created the impression that she is the kind of lady who would not stand any messing around.'
Fraser, now of Nantwich, Cheshire, was allowed conditional bail.
Addressing Fraser, Judge Everett said: 'If there's even an inkling [of bad behaviour] – if there's a [police] call out, I will have you brought back to this court and you will be remanded in custody. However, you may go to jail anyway.'
The judge added: 'Your behaviour leads to an inevitable sentence of imprisonment.
'The real issue is firstly whether it's under two years and whether it's suspended.
'I am very concerned about your behaviour. You are regarded as having a high risk of serious harm.'
At that point in the proceedings, Fraser's partner began shaking her head in court.
Judge Everett said: 'It's no good shaking your head – the reality is, his previous behaviour and his behaviour in this case say otherwise.
'It's a matter for you what you do. You can't say you haven't been warned. That's what it comes down to.'
The next hearing will be in September.
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