Property fraudster and ‘outright liar’ is jailed for 11 years

trial: Court told of £1.6m scheme in one of longest court cases in history

A man who organised a large-scale property fraud has been jailed for 11 years after what is believed to have been the longest criminal trial in UK legal history.

Edwin McLaren, 52, of Quarrier’s Village, Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, put together the £1.6 million property fraud scheme, which involved duping vulnerable victims in financial difficulty to sign over their homes.

He was found guilty of 29 charges last month following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow which began in September 2015 and heard evidence over 320 days.

His wife Lorraine McLaren, 51, was found guilty of two charges, involving a fraudulent mortgage application on their own home. She was sentenced to two-and-a-half years.

Prosecutors said McLaren preyed on vulnerable people and arranged for the title deeds of their homes to be transferred to his associates without the victims’ knowledge.

The trial lasted so long as the court heard evidence for a number of days from each witness on topics such as conveyancing and accountancy. One witness was so ill the court took evidence from her in her house via video link.

Concerns were first raised by a woman who made a complaint to the-then Fife Constabulary in 2012 because she had not been paid the full amount for her house in Cowdenbeath.

Passing sentence yesterday, judge Lord Stewart said: “The evidence shows frankly breathtaking dishonesty in every aspect of your enterprise.

“The jury have found you an outright liar.

“It appears your motivation was to secure funds from mortgage lenders to fund an affluent lifestyle.”

During the scheme he enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle, with four cars, including a Bentley, and holidays in Dubai, police said.

His defence lawyer Mark Moir said McLaren was a first time offender and the length of the trial had contributed to mental health issues. He said McLaren maintains his innocence.

In mitigation for Lorraine McLaren, her lawyer Kevin McCallum said her husband had a “controlling role in financial matters”.

He said there was no evidence she was involved in defrauding vulnerable people and described Edwin McLaren as the “driving force” of the scheme.

However, Lord Stewart said the jury must have found that she knew money transferred into her bank account came from the proceeds of crime.

The evidence shows frankly breathtaking dishonesty in every aspect of your enterprise. LORD STEWART