Wheeler stealer
Conman who took cash then did a runner is back behind bars
If your gran did not have capacity to sign, set out your ur complaint in writing to the e retailer and loan firm and ask that the agreement is cancelled. If there is no money to speak of in her estate, common sense should prevail as the loan firm won’t get their cash.
Meechan, 47, who is no stranger to my page, was jailed for 10 months at Hamilton Sheriff Court following an investigation by Trading Standards and the police.
The crook, who has operated as a builder, car mechanic and locksmith, took cash up front for home improvements but did not carry out the work. Today I feature just some of Meechan’s many victims. They are:
Aimee Livingstone, who lost £800 after paying for failed repairs to a car.
Angela Cooper, who paid £600 deposit for a new kitchen which never arrived.
Classic car enthusiast Terry Grazier, who handed over £ 4900 after Meechan claimed to own a vehicle he wanted to buy.
Terry, 49, said: “I still can’t believe I have lost this money. He’s brazen, he really is.”
Refrigeration engineer Terry had previously owned a 1972 Ford Fairmont but had sold it in 2007. He wanted to buy it back for use at his wedding next year.
He said: “I knew it was somewhere in Scotland so I placed an ad on social media in October. Meechan responded.”
Terry, of Telford, Shropshire, said: “He was calling himself Jordan Fleming. He claimed I’d have to pay £1500 deposit as d ajacket returne two-part I givena till andwas r anda vouche –a r butIstill creditnote vouche the£40 . Ilost the shows receipt , which storesay receipt to? hadthe to me.The issued theyhave creditwas it.Surely ffer you replace ve to o ha the theycan’t even unless didn’t refund No, they or not fit for credit faulty issued the or goods were notewas e. The ill. purpos goodw eof to gestur as a store l tothe Appea e it. replac someone in Cornwall was interested. So I transferred the money.
I booked flights to Edinburgh to collect it. I was going to pay the balance then.”
But Meechan later met with Terry, showed fake ID and promised to deliver the motor.
Terry said: “I borrowed the rest in cash from family and gave it to him. But when the car didn’t turn up and Meechan gave excuse after excuse, I went to the police.”
Aimee was looking for a mechanic to give a car the once-over before she bought it. Again, she advertised online and Meechan responded.
The occupational therapist, of South Queensferry, West Lothian, ended up with a heap of a vehicle, which Meechan failed to fix.
She said: “He’s an absolute fraudster. I was a new mum at the time and he was quite happy to let me put a wee tiny baby in that deathtrap. He has no shame.”
Meechan also took £600 from Angela as a deposit for a kitchen but he disappeared. The nurse said: “He gave every excuse in the book, even claiming a friend had a heart attack. I paid £600 for nothing.” Meechan was convicted of fraud twice in 2002, once in 2005, three times in 2008, three times in 2010 and once in 2015. He was also convicted of embezzlement in 2008. An enforcement order was granted at Lanark Sheriff Court in January, banning Meechan from engaging in unfair trading practices. Paul Bannister, of North Lanarkshire Trading Standards, said: “We take a zero tolerance approach to con artists.” Shirley Clelland, of South Lanarkshire Council Trading Standards, said: “Meechan masquerades as a legitimate workman to target unsuspecting customers.” Sergeant Susan Rae said: “Identifying the aliases and bogus company names led to his arrest.”