Electrician taking home £1,500 a week defrauds Borders resident of £182

An electrician who told a court he takes home £1,500 a week has admitted defrauding a Borders resident out of £182.

Martin Haggerty had been helping a firm install a kitchen at a property in Greenlaw in November 2021 when he told the owner their smoke alarm was "not up to standard" and that he'd install a new one.

The 34-year-old, from Dunfermline, initially asked for £140 up front; and then requested a further £42, saying the price had gone up.

But Jedburgh Sheriff Court today (Monday) heard he "kept making excuses". And, when he failed to complete the work, police were called in.

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Haggerty, who has a previous conviction for fraud and represented himself in court, claimed to have lost his phone. But he admitted a charge of fraud.

He was fined a total of £790 and ordered to pay his victim £182 compensation. He is being allowed to pay the money at £100 a month.

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