A MAN who made fraudulent representations in trying to purchase a property in Gwynedd has been jailed.

Jonathan Duggan, 42, of Nithbank, Dumfries, Scotland, was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment at Mold Crown Court today (April 17).

A co-defendant – Andrew Battye, 54, of Coundon, Bishop Auckland – was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for a year-and-a-half.

Both had previously admitted fraud by false representation.

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Prosecuting, Karl Scholz told the court that Duggan sought a mortgage for £180,000 to buy a property in Nebo marketed at £225,000.

But Duggan pretended that Battye was both purchasing the property and in receipt of a salary from the company Duggan was the director of.

The house was not being bought by Battye, but all of the details given in respect of him by Duggan were false.

Their actions caused a financial loss of approximately £100,000.

In total, Duggan defrauded three organisations by creating false identities and making false payslips.

Defending Battye, Frank Dillon said he had a “virtually unblemished” record, having had no previous convictions.

Representing Duggan, who had two previous convictions for three offences, Trevor Parry-Jones said his client had intend to relocate to the property with his family and renovate it.

“His intention was to obtain a home; he went about it the wrong way, but his intention was to repay the mortgage throughout,” Mr Parry-Jones said.

He added that Duggan now acknowledges he acted in a “foolish” and “stupid” fashion, has “put his family in jeopardy,” and was declared bankrupt in 2018.

Sentencing, Judge Niclas Parry also ordered Battye to abide by an electronically monitored curfew, forcing him to remain at home between 6.30pm and 6am every day until August 17.

Judge Parry labelled Duggan an “accomplished fraudster,” and Battye a “naïve, gullible friend” who was “effectively exploited”.

He added to Duggan: “Large institutions were taken in by you. This involved hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“There was significant planning in this, and this was fraud repeated over a significant length of time.”