A MAN left who left his parents in-law bankrupt after he tricked them with sickening sex abuse lies and duped them into giving him money has been jailed for two years.
Derek and Martha Wales took out numerous loans and credit, bought cars in their name and paid for James White’s house to be decorated, all totalling almost £56,000.
The 36-year-old, who was treated like a son, convinced them he was due compensation as a victim of sexual abuse, saying he would use the cash to repay them.
His in-laws were caught up in his web of lies, including that his sister Margaret was jailed for a fraud in his name, that he was bankrupt as a result and that he needed money for legal fees and expenses to travel to court – or face being arrested.
The father-of-two later bragged to his sister he used 10 different phones to pose as court officials, including solicitor Jim Friel, who died in July 2014.
After asking advice about the level of debt they racked up and learning Mr Friel was dead, Mr Wales reported his son-in-law to police.
White, from Carntyne, Glasgow, was convicted at Glasgow Sheriff Court last month of the £55,868 fraud spanning from January 2011 to August 2015.
Jailing White yesterday, (Wed) Sheriff Paul Crozier told him he had shown no regard for the consequences of his actions.
He said: “You chose for your own benefit to take advantage in particular of your father-in-law, a man who trusted you and told the jury he treated you like a son.
“He has been described as being naive in his dealings with you but that does not take away from your conduct towards him. You showed no regard for the consequences of your actions and these consequences were profound.”
Speaking outside court, Mr Wales, 53, said: “It’s a fantastic sentence, we didn’t know what to expect but he deserves to do time.
“We are over the moon.”
The Wales family were drawn in when White confided in them he was the victim of sexual abuse and showed his wife Mary a letter he claimed was from a family member who knew about it.
Mr Wales added: “We were disgusted by it and wanted to help him and protect our daughter.
“He wouldn’t talk about it and we didn’t want to press him.
“He told so many lies and unfortunately we got taken in – we had no reason to doubt him.”
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