A group of Fife men are facing charges of taking tens of thousands of pounds from pensioners by operating as bogus workmen across the Kingdom.
A lengthy indictment accuses the five men of crimes including gaining entry to older peoples’ homes, inducing them to make payments for unnecessary repair work and accompanying them to banks and cash machines to get money.
The indictment includes nine charges and the total sum said to have been gained through criminal means is more than £25,000.
Those named are said to have targeted vulnerable residents in homes across Fife and West Lothian.
The case was continued to April 5 at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
The accused
- Shaun Keane, 35, Seaforth Place in Kirkcaldy.
- Robert Syme, 58, Hyndhead Hostel in Buckhaven.
- Paul McDonnell, 31, Park View in Kirkcaldy.
- David Easton, 39, Moss-side Road in Cowdenbeath.
- John Paterson, 31, Sidlaw Street in Kirkcaldy.
The charges
1- McDonnell and Easton – various occasions in October 2019 – Denfield Drive, Cardenden – while acting with others, pretend to a 61-year-old woman they would carry out necessary roof and building repairs, inducing her to pay £10,400, knowing the work was unnecessary and was “not done to a workmanlike standard” and obtain £10,400 by fraud.
2 – Keane and Easton – from May 25 to May 18, 2020 – Stewart Crescent, Lochgelly – while acting with others, attend an 86-year-old woman’s home, pretend repair work costing £3,900 and £4,500 was required to her home, accompany her to the bank to withdraw the funds and obtain them by fraud.
3 – Keane, Paterson and McDonnell – between May 25 and June 2 – Liston Road, Kirkliston and elsewhere – pretend to residents gutters on a property required cleaning and repair and further roofing work, pretend they would carry out the work, obtain £2,400 by fraud and try to fraudulently obtain a further £1,700.
4 – Keane – October 16, 2021 – A92 Lochgelly junction – reset a vehicle by selling it, knowing it had been stolen.
5 – Keane and Syme – January 16, 2021 – Ratho Close, Glenrothes – while acting with others pretended to a 75-year-old man they would carry out landscaping work and induce him to pay £12,500, knowing they would never complete the work, by fraud.
6 – Keane and Syme – January 16, 2021 – Ratho Close, Glenrothes – engage in aggressive commercial practices by attending and entering uninvited, placing pressure on the “vulnerable” consumer, fail to inform him of his right to cancel a contract and “reduced his ability to make an informed decision”.
7 – Syme – January 16, 2021 – Ratho Close, Glenrothes – acquire and possess criminal property, namely the £12,500 sent by electronic bank transfer.
8 – Keane and Syme – March 23, 2021 – Woodlea, Kincardine – while acting with others engage in aggressive commercial practices, enter the property and place pressure on a “vulnerable” consumer and fail to inform him of his right to cancel a contract, inducing him to write them a cheque for £580.
9 – Keane and Syme – March 23, 2021 – George Street, Markinch – while acting with others, engage in aggressive commercial practices, attend uninvited, place pressure on a “vulnerable” consumer, induce her to pay £190 and drive her to “several” cash machines to obtain further sums of money.
All five men deny all charges they face.
