Fake £10 notes pair told they both ‘richly deserve’ prison term

Two men caught with more than £1,500 of fake tenners have been told by an Angus sheriff that they both “richly” deserved a prison sentence longer than the maximum he could impose in the case.

Michael Summers and Ian Cleeton were picked up by police after a sharp-eyed Montrose pet shop worker spotted the fake Bank of Scotland £10 which Summers had handed over for an attempted purchase.

He was seen getting into a black Audi, which was spotted by police two days later at Rossie Island Road in Montrose.

Depute fiscal Stewart Duncan told Forfar Sheriff Court Summers was found to have 61 counterfeit notes in his possession.

The car was then taken to a police station where a search of the vehicle uncovered a further £980 worth of fakes.

Summers, 27, of Parkhall, Clydebank, and Cleeton, 41, from Milngavie, Glasgow, admitted a charge under the 1981 Forgery and Counterfeiting Act of having the fakes in the Angus town on March 29 this year. Summers had 61 of the notes and his co-accused had 98.

Sheriff Gregor Murray said that on close inspection it was “perfectly obvious” that the notes were counterfeit but that did not diminish the seriousness of the crime.

“I will make it clear that you both richly deserve to go to prison,” he said.

“Passing counterfeit notes has a major impact – it affects the drugs trade, but most importantly it affects local businesses.

“Had I been able to I would have sentenced you for far longer than the six-month maximum available.

“The effect of that would be that you would be out within a few weeks, and that is no deterrent at all,” added the sheriff.

Sheriff Murray imposed community payback orders on Summers and Cleeton, with a requirement that each must carry out the maximum unpaid work element of 300 hours.