Brothers used fake £50 notes

TWO brothers caught passing counterfeit banknotes to Oban shopkeepers have been fined £ 500 each at Oban Sheriff Court.

John and Charlie McDonagh, both 21, pleaded guilty to passing fake Bank of England £ 50 notes at two George Street shops, Fancy That and Anglers’ Corner, on February 2.

Hearing the men had failed to appear at an earlier date, and were on jobseekers’ allowance, Sheriff Ruth Anderson QC said: ‘They don’t work, they don’t turn up to court and they are trying to diddle honest shopkeepers.’

Eoin McGinty, procurator fiscal, told the court Charlie McDonagh had bought a £ 5 lighter at Fancy That with a fake £ 50 note, and received two £20 notes in his change.

At Anglers’ Corner, John McDonagh had purchased slingshot ammo costing £ 8 with a counterfeit £ 50 note, getting back four £10 notes in his change. The shopkeeper then noticed something was suspicious about the note and called the police.

Officers traced the men via CCTV. After approaching them on George Street, they ran into MacPhee’s Solicitors. Police later found four fake £10 notes and 11 fake £ 50 dumped in the hallway of the building.

The court heard the men, who live in Palmers Green, London, had no connection with Oban. Sheriff Anderson imposed on each a £ 500 fine.

‘This sounds to me like a family business,’ she said, and urged them to pay the fines so they do not need to appear again. ‘Frankly we will be quite happy if you don’t come back to Oban.’

A warrant was issued for a 17-year- old man living at a different address.