A prolific fraudster who evaded justice for 13 years by fleeing to France and then the United States has finally been put behind bars. Duncan Herd, 60, was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison after being tracked down by authorities in America and extradited back to the UK.
A Decade-Long International Manhunt
Duncan Herd was originally convicted in 2010 for a series of sophisticated scams that defrauded victims of approximately £70,000. His method involved taking substantial down payments for non-existent assets, such as yachts moored abroad or land investment deals in Egypt.
After serving half of a 39-month sentence, he was released in November 2011. However, he was recalled to prison in June 2012 for breaching his licence conditions. Instead of returning to custody, Herd vanished, initiating an international manhunt that spanned over a decade.
His run finally ended when US police detained him. He was extradited and arrested upon his arrival at Heathrow Airport on December 14. At Poole Magistrates' Court, he was sentenced for remaining unlawfully at large after recall.
The Elaborate Yacht and Land Scams
Herd's fraudulent activities, which even predated his 2010 imprisonment, were marked by careful deception. One victim, Thomas Congdon, was manipulated into handing over £11,725 in 2004 to secure a yacht in Egypt that did not exist, with a promise of shared profits from its sale.
In a similar con, he swindled £18,119 from Gerald Vincent Greenaway, an octogenarian yacht broker in Swindon, using the same false promise of profits from a phantom vessel.
His largest single fraud targeted a mother and son from Norfolk. In 2005, he convinced Wendy and Jason Thorley to invest £21,600 in a bogus land development scheme in Egypt, falsely claiming he had already invested £37,000 of his own money. Herd cut contact with them in August 2007 and disappeared.
Other victims included Weymouth builder Grant Baker, who lost £17,000, and Tony Pullen from Dorchester, who paid £4,000 hoping to secure a yacht.
Justice Catches Up After 13 Years
In 2010, Judge Roger Jarvis at Dorchester Crown Court told Herd he had constructed a "careful and convincing" web of lies, leaving his victims with little hope of seeing their money again.
Commenting on the conclusion of the long pursuit, Police Constable Madeleine Baldwin of BCP CID stated: "We have continued to work diligently to identify Herd's whereabouts. I hope this case demonstrates that we will relentlessly pursue those who try to evade justice and do everything in our power to ensure they are held accountable for their actions."
The case underscores the determination of UK authorities to track down fugitives, no matter how long it takes or how far they run.
