A 31-year-old man in Scotland has been sentenced to two years in prison after impersonating his father and stealing about £50,000 from his bank account over a three-year period.
Stephan Dewar was sentenced at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting to defrauding his 67-year-old father between May 2019 and April 2022.
The court heard that Dewar used his father’s banking details to establish online banking access, despite knowing that his father did not use online banking. He later posed as his father during telephone calls with the bank and authorised transfers of money into his own account.
Dewar initially asked his father for £5,000, claiming he needed the money to help buy a pub in Dundee. After gaining access to the account, he went on to make additional transfers without his father’s knowledge or permission.
Fiscal depute Jill Drummond told the court that around £50,000 was taken from the account during the period of the fraud. The money was spent on personal expenses, including alcohol, cocaine, gambling and subscriptions to adult-content services.
Dewar’s father had previously suffered a stroke and was described in court as virtually housebound. His brother had become his power of attorney and helped him with shopping and cash withdrawals.
The fraud came to light when the victim’s brother noticed a substantial drop in the bank account balance. After checking the account and discovering that only about £20,000 remained, he raised concerns about the missing funds.
The court also heard that Lloyds Banking Group incurred a loss of £17,150 after reimbursing the victim.
Dewar had failed to attend several earlier court hearings before eventually appearing for sentencing.
Sheriff George Way described the offence as a serious breach of trust. He said Dewar had a responsibility to look after his father rather than exploit his circumstances and take his money.
The sheriff also rejected the suggestion that Dewar’s actions were driven by a serious addiction or pressure from criminal associates, noting that the money had largely been used to fund his personal lifestyle.
Dewar’s solicitor, Scott Norrie, acknowledged the seriousness of the offence but argued that his client could be given a lengthy compensation order instead of a prison sentence. He said Dewar had a support network and people prepared to assist him.
The court instead imposed a 24-month custodial sentence.
The case demonstrates how Dewar exploited his father’s limited ability to manage his bank account and maintained access to his finances for several years before the missing money was discovered by a family member.
