Overview

• Carlisle Crown Court sentenced Terry McGinlay to six and a half years after convicting him of two frauds, including the large-scale deception of a retired farmer.
• Between 2019 and 2022 he persuaded the victim to write 11 cheques totaling £432,500 after befriending him and repeatedly pleading for money he vowed to repay.
• The court heard the late-70s victim had cancer and early-stage dementia, died before McGinlay admitted guilt, and is unlikely to see the stolen funds restored to his estate.
• Financial records showed spending on designer clothing, jewellery, holidays, a vehicle and a £1,000 meal at The Ivy in London, with the judge also citing drugs, alcohol and gambling.
• Accountants at Armstrong Watson flagged suspicious activity to Cumbria Police’s Economic Crime Unit, leading to the investigation; McGinlay is likely to be released after serving about 40% of the term.