Former Scunthorpe Mayor Jailed
72-year-old Jawaid Ishaq was convicted of 9 charges of fraud and theft.
A former Mayor of Scunthorpe has been jailed today for stealing thousands of pounds off a friend.
Jawaid Ishaq, who served as a North Lincolnshire councillor for more than thirty years, and was also the former vice chairman of Humberside Police Authority, was sentenced to 3 and a half years today.
The 72-year-old, who was also previously awarded an MBE, was found guilty of forging a document in order to gain control of shares and a bank account owned by a friend.
The CPS for Yorkshire and Humberside said Ishaq grossly abused his friend's trust and instead of acting in his best financial interests - he ruthlessly and systematically defrauded him of approximately £66,000.
He was convicted of nine offences in total, including five fraud-related offences, three charges of theft, and one charge of perverting the course of justice.
Peter Mann, Head of Complex Casework Unit, CPS Yorkshire and Humberside said:
"This was a flagrant breach of trust and authority by an individual who was very well known locally and had a substantial standing within the community. His friend trusted him to take care of his financial affairs while he was out of the country. Jawaid Ishaq grossly abused that trust. Rather than acting in his friend’s best financial interests, and motivated we can only assume by greed, Ishaq ruthlessly and systematically defrauded him of approximately £66,000.
“We have applied for a Proceeds of Crime order to recover the funds. The sentence handed down today sends out a clear message that no-one is above the law and this type of offending will be prosecuted with the utmost rigour."
Ishaq was cleared of five charges on the direction of the judge and was also acquitted of one count of theft.