A CONMAN who fronted a £150,000 fraud operation in Dundee was sent to prison for 12 months by Sheriff Grant McCulloch at the city’s sheriff court yesterday.

William John MacKinnon (38), a prisoner at HMP Aberdeen, had previously admitted that acting along with others and having formed a fraudulent scheme by operating a business known as JD Oil Services in South Tay Street, he obtained goods on credit and to the value of £150,000 from companies across the UK between September 1, 2002, and February 1, 2003, with no intention of paying for them and therefore obtained the goods by fraud.

He had originally been charged with obtaining goods worth £310,861 but his plea of guilty to the lesser amount was accepted by the Crown.

The court was told that MacKinnon and another man had rented an office in Dundee and employed a receptionist and two clerks.

The staff were instructed to call various companies to order goods including building materials, food and a forklift truck, on credit. No payments were ever made.

Police received a tip- off about the company, MacKinnon was traced and said that the goods had been sold on for half their value.

He told police the other men asked him to set up the operation and he agreed because he needed the money.

Counsel for MacKinnon said the fraud was likely to have unravelled within months and “fall guy” MacKinnon was “not the sharpest tool in the box.”

He allowed himself to be duped by two professional criminals and initially believed he was setting up a legitimate business but accepted that he continued to operate the scheme after he realised that it was illegal.

MacKinnon only received £2000 by way of wages.

Sheriff McCulloch said that however the matter started, and he accepted MacKinnon was initially an “innocent patsy,” the fact remained that he continued with the scheme and various companies were defrauded.

The sheriff said he understood that MacKinnon’s gain was modest but told him that those who actively involve themselves in a fraud to this extent could only expect a custodial sentence.