Stephan Dewar, a 31-year-old barman, has been jailed for 24 months after admitting to a large-scale fraud that saw him steal £50,000 from his own father. The money was spent on sausage rolls from Greggs and adult site subscriptions, a court heard.
Despicable crime
Sheriff George Way, passing sentence, described the offence as a despicable crime and a breach of a profound obligation to protect and look after his father. The sheriff noted that there was no decent explanation, such as a serious gambling addiction or threats from criminals, for the theft.
Dewar had frittered most of the money away on drink, entertainment, and a lifestyle he could not afford, according to the sheriff. The court was told that Dewar had also failed to appear for the case, costing the public a great deal of money and inconvenience.
How the fraud was carried out
The court heard how Dewar took the money from his vulnerable father, Andrew Dewar, 67, over a three-year period. He secretly set up online banking in his father's name and posed as him during phone calls to the bank.
Andrew Dewar had suffered a stroke in 2007 and was unable to use online services or internet banking, but had a substantial pension from his past employment. Dewar was given bank details to help with a loan, and he used them to set up online banking in his father's name without his knowledge.
Phone calls about the transactions were recorded by the bank, and when played back, they were identified as Dewar pretending to be his father. The fraud took place between May 4, 2019, and April 26, 2022.
