A man used a friend to fraudulently apply for a mortgage to buy a house in Gwynedd. Jonathan Duggan was today branded an “accomplished fraudster” by a judge.
The 42-year-old had “exploited” his friend Andrew Battye to get him to apply for a mortgage totalling £300,000 to purchase the property in Nebo, Mold Crown Court heard.
Duggan, whose address was given as NHS Occupational Health Centre, Nithbank, Dumfries, Scotland, admitted fraud by false representation and was jailed for 27 months.
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Battye, 54, of Howlish Lane, Coundon, Bishop Auckland, also admitted fraud by false representation. He was given a ten-month jail term, suspended for 18 months.
Prosecutor Karl Scholtz said Duggan had had no credit rating so he pretended to the Halifax Bank of Scotland that the purchaser of the Nebo house was Battye.
An arrangement was made in which Battye applied for the mortgage with Duggan claiming that Battye had a substantial salary being paid by a firm called FrameQuest. But Duggan was really responsible for the repayments, the court heard.
The mortgage was initially for £180,000 with £120,000 added to make a total of £300,000. The repayments were taken from the FrameQuest company account which was in the name of Battye but was controlled by Duggan, said the prosecutor.
Half of the money was being used for renovations and half to cover debts. The prosecutor Mr Scholz said Duggan abused his position of trust in his company and committed fraud over a sustained period.
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Trevor Parry Jones, defending Duggan, said Duggan, his wife and friend Battye came to North Wales to renovate a “run down old cottage” in Nebo. The Duggan family lived in a shed.
But the cottage became a “rather grand property”. There were also numerous disputes over planning problems as the building was renovated, he said.
His client had been “foolish and stupid”. He placed his family’s home in jeopardy and has lost everything.
The court heard that the property has now been sold “in its enhanced state” and money paid back. The financial lenders have not lost out.
Mr Parry Jones added that his client had been “introduced” to an earlier crime when he was 19 by his “wheeler dealer” father in Bradford when Duggan junior tried to pass a £3,500 cheque which bounced.
But he has waited ten years for this current Nebo case to be dealt with and the proceedings have weighed heavily on him.
Frank Dillon, defending Battye, said his client is remorseful and he has lost his good character. He is in poor health.
The judge His Honour Niclas Parry told the defendants: “Jonathan Duggan, you are an accomplished fraudster, and Andrew Battye, a naive and gullible friend.”
He said Duggan had defrauded three institutions, created a false identity and made false payments. The actual loss in reality was £100,000 not £300,000 but the money has been repaid, he said.
The judge jailed Duggan for 27 months and gave Battye the suspended sentence. Battye must wear an electronic tag during a 6.30pm to 6am curfew until August 17.
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