a day ago
Angus farming firms swindler jailed for five years
A swindler who cheated farming firms, including in Angus, out of £630,000 has been jailed for five years.
Barry Mackland was told by a judge at the High Court in Glasgow he had 'exploited' others, who had been left out of pocket by his 'wheeling and dealing'.
He had earlier been found guilty after a trial in Edinburgh of three charges of fraud and one of theft, carried out between February and June 2022 in the north-east of Scotland.
Mackland, 50, of Aberdeen, had denied the offences with his lawyers insisting he had simply been unable to repay debts racked up in his own business.
Jurors heard how he had turned up at Barctrac Ltd at Finavon, near Forfar, removed two tractors and then sold them to a third party.
In a separate crime, Mackland went to Gammies Groundcare Ltd in Forfar and claimed cheques in the name of his business – The Firm of Barry Kenneth Mackland – would be honoured at the bank.
These were used to supply him with £179,000 of machinery but it turned out there was not enough cash in the account to pay for the goods.
In a similar con, cheques bounced after he got £320,000 of machines from a forklift company. Mackland again sold the equipment to get cash.
A man was duped after Mackland told him he could supply a £52,200 JCB Telehandler.
David Moggach KC told the court his client maintains his innocence.
The KC stated the financial situation at the time for Mackland had 'got worse' and he had 'struggled to keep his head above water'.
Sentencing, judge Lord Harrower said: 'You were not a con-man, who tricks an unsuspecting stranger out of his money and is never seen again.
'Most of your customers had dealt with you over many years.
'These dealings were based almost entirely on trust. For many years, your business appeared to flourish.
'However, when things started to go wrong, as they did in the Spring of 2022, your wheeling and dealing exposed your customers to unacceptable levels of risk.
'You fraudulently exploited your customers' goodwill in an increasingly desperate attempt to keep your business going.'
Mackland – who showed no emotion as he was led to the cells – faces further action under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Moira Orr, who leads on Major Crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: 'Fraud is not a victimless crime.
'It strikes at and erodes the basis of trust upon which all businesses rightly depend. We take such criminality very seriously.
'Businesses and individuals suffered considerable financial harm as a consequence of Barry Mackland's crimes.'
The Courier told how businesses in the north-east have changed their practises in light of Mackland's crimes.
