Farmers from across the north-east have overhauled the way they do business in the wake of a major fraud scandal that stunned their community.
Up until early 2022, machinery and vehicle trader Barry Mackland had been a legitimate trader.
But he turned to a life of crime and defrauded four victims out of a total of £630,000.
He was found guilty of passing dud cheques and stealing equipment, including from firms in Forfar.
His lawyer said he had merely run out of money to honour debts and had done nothing illegal.
The 50-year-old, of Aberdeen, was convicted of fraud at the High Court in Edinburgh.
He will be sentenced later and faces a proceeds of crime action.
‘Crimes were a wake-up call’
Three years on from uncovering Mackland’s shocking crimes, farmers and their suppliers from across the region are still feeling the effects.
Some who did business with Mackland claim they are still paying back interest on loans they had to take out because of his actions.
One, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s been a massive wake-up call, not just for us but for everyone who deals with farming machinery in the north and north-east of Scotland.”
They described how, in the aftermath of the widespread fraud which hit businesses in Stonehaven, Forfar and Grantham in England, the industry has changed.
Leslie Gammie, of Gammie’s Groundcare, Forfar, lost £179,000 in the fraud.
He said: “There have been major changes in the way that firms that sell vehicles and machinery to the farming trade operate since this all happened in 2022.
“Mackland would only deal in cheques.
“He would buy things, send us a cheque and we would cash it.
“We actually did a lot of business with him that went through smoothly. That went on for three or four years.
“But then we got two cheques that bounced. We won’t accept cheques now. Everything is done by bank transfer.”
‘We could have talked more’
Mr Gammie added: “The second big change is around communication.
“In retrospect, we can all look back and ask ourselves if we – the victims – could have communicated more about the people were were doing business with.
“All it would take is the odd question ‘is this person up to date on payment with you?’ or ‘have you had any problems with on-time payment or delivery?’
“If you have two or three people in your network who say they have had slight problems – it forms a bigger picture.
“Shows are important to us now – like the Royal Highland Show.
“It’s always been useful for networking but now we can discuss these issues and protect each other through mutual vigilance.
“Perhaps that was lacking a bit before.”
‘Reputation is everything’
Another of Mackland’s victims, who asked not to be named, said: “Things have definitely been shaken up as a result of this. We’re more careful now.
“That’s not to say people who buy and sell farming equipment and vehicles in the north-east aren’t reliable or trustworthy.
“Most people are and you live and die by your reputation.
“But this case proved that someone can be dependable for a few years and then go rogue.
“So keeping up a dialogue with other traders is vital as things can go downhill very quickly.
“The price of not doing this could be your life savings or your livelihood.”
‘Word quickly spreads’
A third trader said: “Cheques are out now.
“Maybe that would have happened anyway with the evolution of banking apps on smartphones – but nobody will do that now.
“The risk of being done over and having to face embarrassment at the bank is too great.
“Nowadays, it’s all instant bank transfers.
“And, if someone falls behind on their account, word quickly spreads among traders, much more so than it did back in 2022.”
The National Farmer’s Union represents farmers across Scotland.
A spokeswoman said: “We recognise the serious concern and distress this case has caused within parts of the farming and rural community.
“Although we cannot comment on individual legal proceedings, we are deeply concerned about any actions that undermine trust and integrity in Scottish agriculture.
“Fair, transparent trading practices are essential to protecting farm businesses and ensuring confidence in our industry.
“We are committed to working with members, trade partners, and other stakeholders to help strengthen safeguards, raise awareness, and reduce the risk of fraud in the machinery trade and beyond.”
