Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Fraudster tried to con bank workers
A WOMAN who tried to con Dundee bank staff with a forged cheque and driving licence has been jailed.
Amy Brown, 35, a prisoner at Edinburgh, went to Barclays Bank in High Street, Dundee, and pretended to be Beverley Cornwall, of Surrey-based Little Blossom’s Childcare Ltd, and tried to cash a cheque in that name for £1,850.
She also put forward a driving licence in that name as being genuine and pretended to be Ms Cornwall, the court heard.
Brown admitted trying to induce two members of bank staff to give her money by fraud on March 10 2016.
Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin told the court Brown entered the bank at around 3.45pm and claimed she had lost her bank card.
“She stated she had a cheque to cash and handed over a Barclays cheque in the name of Little Blossom’s Childcare Ltd, along with the driving licence.
“The witness noticed the signature she provided was different to the one on the system for the bank account.”
Mrs Gilmartin said the teller also became suspicious due to t he large amount of cash being requested and on checking the licence noticed the date of birth differed from that on their bank records.
“The witness informed the accused that he did not have enough funds at his till and would need to obtain cash from elsewhere,” the fiscal said.
He then went to speak to another bank employee who noticed that the Barclays cheque the accused had presented had strips of letters across the top and bottom that legitimate Barclays cheques do not have, as well as no security strip.
The teller tried to get Brown to sit down and wait but she became agitated and angry and left the bank without any money.
Police attended on March 14 and after contacting Little Blossom’s Childcare, Beverley Cornwall confirmed she had not visited Dundee and still had the bank card and cheque book.
A review of the CCTV system showed the accused clearly attempting to cash the cheque and forensic investigations showed the accused’s fingerprints on it.
Solicitor Paul Gallagher said Brown, a mother of two, had a significant problem with illicit substances and accepted the gravity of the offence.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael sentenced her to nine months in jail.