Bogus workman conned Ayrshire people over bathroom work

Nov 6 2009 by Lisa Boyle, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

A CONVICTED fraudster conned people out of hundreds and claimed he’d renovate their bathrooms.

Ian Wilson admitted lying to three different people and encouraging them to part with cash.

The conman has already served two prison sentences for fraud and embezzlement.

Wilson conned a Drongan man out of £200 in May this year.

Later the same month the 49-year-old moved on to his next victim and persuaded the Ayr woman to part with £500.

Then between May 25 and 31 at a bed and breakfast in Ayr’s Miller Road, Wilson conned the landlady out of £1520, claiming it was for bathroom furniture.

He pleaded guilty to all three fraud charges when he appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court this week.

He was also charged with failing to pay for his bed and breakfast, but prosecutors accepted his plea of not guilty.

Defence lawyer Peter Lockhart told Sheriff Jack McGowan that his client has debts and has been made bankrupt.

But Mr Lockhart went on to say that he may be in a position to pay the money back.

Sheriff McGowan called for reports on the Perth man and warned him to come back with concrete proposals or the cash, as it may make a difference to his sentence.

Wilson was jailed for six months for fraud in Jedburgh in 1989.

In 1992, he was sent to prison for a year for car theft, embezzlement and fraud.

He will be sentenced next month.