Judge says County Derry man who conned businesses and individuals out of more than £8,600 has 'no means' to pay compensation

A County Derry man who conned a number of businesses and individuals out of more £8,600 has been jailed for five months.

Craig Witherow scammed various local businesses out of thousands of pounds by paying for purchases with cheques which later bounced.

The Limavady man also posed as a business on Facebook Marketplace cheating several individuals out of money.

Appearing, via videolink, before Limavady Magistrates Court this morning, Witherow faced 13 counts of fraud, a charge of aquiring criminal property and acting as a company director while being an undischarged bankrupt.

Charges of improper use of a public electronic communications network, assault on police and resisting police were also before the court.

The 24 year-old was further charged with various motoring offences, including driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and failing to provide specimens of breath.

All offences were committed between April 2020 and January 2022, the court was told.

During his crime spree, Witherow, of Baranailt Road, Limavady, purchased goods from M Beattie and Sons in Newtownstewart, McInytre and Sons in Kilrea, I J Autospares in Omagh and Drumahoe-based W&J Chambers.

The court heard that Witherow even went back to McIntyre and Sons at a later date to return one of his purchases and was given a cash refund.

All cheques later bounced and when the defendant was interviewed in relation to the offences, he denied everything.

The court was told that enquiries showed that the bank account that the funds were supposed to come out of was actually closed in 2019.

The court was also told that four men were also conned after they sent money via bank transfer after ordering trailers from a fake business which was advertised by Witherow on Facebook Marketplace.

In total, Witherow scammed £8,638.02 from the businesses and individuals he had conned, the court heard.

The court also heard that police were called to Windyhill Road near Limavady on January 13 this year after a Suzuki vehicle lost control and collided with a fence and some trees, causing substantial damage.

The court heard that a quantity of beer bottles were found inside and outside the vehicle and when Witherow was arrested, he denied that he was the driver.

He was asked to provide a number of evidential breath samples however he failed to.

The court heard that it later transpired that Witherow was a disqualified driver.

A barrister told the court that Witherow had suffered tragedies as his partner lost twins during a pregnancy and his son was also stillborn. He said this had led to a difficulty with alcohol as Witherow was struggling to cope.

In relation to the fraud charges, the barrister described them as 'extremely unsophisticated', adding that 'he was always going to be caught'.

Witherow, who is currently serving a jail sentence for other matters, has been alcohol free since July, a second barrister told the court.

During sentencing, District Judge Peter King told the court that he could not see the victims of Witherow's crimes being recompensed due to the fact that he has 'absolutely no means to pay compensation'.

Witherow was sentenced to five months in custody, disqualified from driving for four years and fined £600. He was also ordered to pay offender levies totalling £100.

Judge King added: “I want to make it absolutely clear that I am not in a position to impose compensation orders as this is a man of no means.”

Judge King said that while some of the victims who owned commercial premises would probably be able to claim their loss back through their insurance, the indivduals affected by Witherow's fraud would be unable to do so.