Man jailed for selling partner’s home without her knowledge

A MAN who pocketed £80,200 after selling his partner’s home behind her back has been jailed for 18 months.

Alexander Currie, 46, fraudulently sold Janette McVicar’s property in Edinburgh to pay off a £30,000 personal debt, the city’s sheriff court heard today.

The con man engineered a scheme in which he recruited another woman to pose as Janette to a firm of Edinburgh based solicitors.

The female - whose identity is unknown - told an unsuspecting lawyer that she wanted to sell the property at Fernieside Drive.

The scam was only uncovered a few weeks later when Janette phoned her mortgage providers to see how much she owed them.

They told her that the loan had been paid off - and that she should contact Campbells Solicitors in Edinburgh.

Stunned legal eagle Christopher Campbell told Janette that he thought he had actually dealt with her - this prompted police to launch a fraud inquiry and arrest Currie.

Today Sheriff Paul Arthurson said a custodial sentence was “unavoidable” for Currie.

Currie, of Drumdryan Street, Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to a charge forming a fraudulent scheme to obtain money between January to April 2010 almost two months ago.

Sentence had been deferred for reports.

During the January 2012 hearing, depute fiscal Dev Kapadia told the court that the scheme started in January 2010 after Currie needed cash to pay off his debts.

Mr Kapadia then said he decided to launch a con in which he would sell Janette’s property without telling her - and then pocket the cash made from the sale.

Currie then recruited a “number” of people who he manipulated into taking part in the scam - they were told that Janette had given him permission to sell the house.

Defence solicitor James Cassels told the court that Currie was sorry for committing the offence.

Mr Cassels added:”It is a very unusual case altogether. He just wants the opportunity to repay the money and make up for the damage he has done.”

Passing sentence, Sheriff Arthurson said he had no other option but to impose a custodial sentence.

Sheriff Arthurson added: “A custodial sentence is unavoidable in view of the degree of planning involved and the scale of the operation.”