A conman who scammed an elderly cancer patient out of more than £430,000 to fund a luxury lifestyle has been given a six-and-a-half year prison sentence.
Carlisle Crown Court heard today how Terry McGinlay, now 44, got down on his knees and begged frail north Cumbria farmer David Wilson to initially give him £5,000 during offending which occurred between March 2019 and October 2022.
During that period, Mr Wilson was conned into handing 11 separate cheques to McGinlay, who stole a total of £432,500.
Mr Wilson was falsely told by McGinlay he would repay money from a house sale in Ireland.
Police were alerted by a firm of accountants who grew suspicious of Mr Wilson’s reluctance to provide details of his finances.
Prosecutor Caitlin McLachlan said of McGinlay: “The defendant had been spending money funding a luxury lifestyle: designer clothing, household bills were paid, holidays, dining out and a vehicle for his son.”
A friend of Mr Wilson — who died early this year before seeing McGinley face justice — told how he was living alone at the time, suffering from cancer and that he used a zimmer frame.
In a statement, that friend said: “It was very cruel to watch a man who would do no harm to anybody agonise over losing so much money to a fraud.”
The court heard Mr Wilson, who was also suffering from the early stages of dementia, had waited by the phone in the vain hope that McGinlay would contact him and pay back the money.
McGinlay was sentenced this morning having admitted two offences of fraud after initial denials.
The second crime related to a couple who were scammed by McGinlay as he took £1,200 for work he promised to carry out on their driveway, in June 2022 but never did.
McGinlay had taunted that couple as they took him to task, accusing the male of having dementia. He denied owing them money, saying: “Take me to court. I will wink at you.”
In a statement, the couple described being left with a hole in their savings.
Former Carlisle man McGinlay, latterly of Toms Lane, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, was said to have had issues with alcohol and gambling at the time.
Laura Jane Miller, mitigating, said in address to Judge Michael Fanning: “He has had a lot of time while in custody to reflect on his behaviour.
“He does ask me to convey to your honour he is deeply sorry for the actions that have brought him to court today.”
Jailing McGinlay, Judge Fanning noted that he had also splashed out in jewellery with his ill-gotten gains.
“No doubt a significant quantity (of the cash) on drugs, alcohol and gambling,” he added.
Of Mr Wilson, who had given two interviews to police, the judge also noted: “It is clear he had a real understanding of the fact he had been taken fully advantage of by you.”
After McGinlay was sentenced, specialist fraud investigator DC Robin Arrowsmith, of Cumbria Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “These were callous offences committed by a man who identified a vulnerable, elderly person, sold him a lie and then defrauded him out of his life’s savings over a number of years.
“The defendant has caused the victim untold suffering and mental anguish as, at times, he waited by the phone for days on end, hoping a man who presented himself as a friend would contact him to arrange sending back the money he was owed.
“Instead, the defendant was living a lavish lifestyle with the money the victim had worked all his life to accumulate.
“Cumbria Police would urge anyone who is approached by a stranger asking for money to contact the police.
“We would also encourage family members to closely monitor transactions being made by elderly people, whilst also encouraging neighbours and the wider community to look out for any signs that someone is being taken advantage of.”
