The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Ex-cemetery chief admits mis-selling burial plots
Fraudulent scheme deceived grieving families for nine-year period
A former superintendent of a cemetery has admitted fraudulently mis-selling burial plots to grieving families in a “shocking” nine-year campaign.
William Henderson stole thousands of pounds from the archdiocese that runs Edinburgh’s Mount Vernon Cemetery by illegally selling forged burial deeds to vulnerable people when they were bereaved.
His criminal scheme at the city’s only Catholic cemetery involved 13 individual instances of fraud between 2006 and 2015, totalling more than £14,000.
The 46-year-old pleaded guilty to a single fraud charge when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday.
The sheriff hearing the case warned him he faces a probable jail term when he returns to court for sentencing in a month.
The Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh said it “deeply regrets” the actions of the former employee and is supporting the affected families.
The court heard how Henderson pretended to his victims that burial plots were available for sale at the cemetery in the Liberton area of the city, when they were not, causing people to hand over money to him.
He altered official records to make it appear the plots were vacant and produced false documents purporting to be deeds showing ownership of the space.
He had no authority to sell the plots as they were either already owned by others, situated in common ground, or had remains interred in them.
Narrating the circumstances of one case, depute fiscal Aidan Higgins told the court one man bought a plot from Henderson for £850, but discovered a few weeks later that there might be a “difficulty” with the transaction.
He said: “The deeds which had been provided by the accused were studied and found to be false.
“The plot which had been sold was a real plot. The plot had been sold to another family in 1988 and was not therefore available for sale.
“Checks confirmed there was no record of the £850 payment.”
The financial losses stemming from the case have been borne by the Church, the prosecutor added.
Sheriff Donald Corke deferred sentencing until September 29 to allow for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report.
Continuing his bail, the sheriff told Henderson: “This is clearly a very serious matter and you should be aware that although all options are available to the court custody is the most likely outcome.”
The cemetery operated at arms length from the central administration of the archdiocese.
Henderson’s criminal actions came to light following administrative changes at the top of the archdiocese and police were called in. Henderson was charged in late 2016.