A FRAUDSTER who conned a co-worker out of £30,000 after telling her he wanted to leave his wife to be with her was today jailed for 15 months.
Alexander Shields also told Lynn McFarlane, whom he met while working at Scottish Water at Edinburgh's Buckstone Terrace, his partner was trying to take his daughter away from the UK.
But 26-year-old Shields didn't have a wife or daughter and used
the cash he was given to feed his gambling habit.
Sheriff Neil MacKinnon told Shields: "Your behaviour in this matter was not only dishonest it was calculating and callous, taking advantage of the trust given to you by the complainer."
At an earlier hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court fiscal depute Ruth Ross-Davie said Shields also told Ms McFarlane he owed money to loan sharks who were threatening him and also sending text messages to him which contained threats against her.
The court heard whenever Ms McFarlane expressed any doubt he would reassure her that he wanted to be with her as soon as his matrimonial problems were resolved.
Eventually Ms McFarlane went to police and by this time Shields was no longer working at Scottish Water.
The court also heard Shields never had a romantic relationship with Ms McFarlane.
Ms Ross-Davie said Ms McFarlane was naive and inexperienced with relationships and that she had taken out loans as well as being left with an overdraft of £6,000.
Shields, of Philip Avenue, Bathgate, admitted forming a fraudulent scheme, making false claims and obtaining approximately £30,000 from Lynn McFarlane by fraud between 15 January and 31 March last year at Scottish Water, Buckstone Terrace, Edinburgh, and elsewhere in the city.
Defence agent Peter O'Neill said: "This offence was rooted in his gambling addiction.
"He made friends with the woman at work and as their friendship grew he felt comfortable enough to ask her for money.
"He said he didn't always expect to get money but she gave it to him and as an addict does you keep on going until it dries up.
"The story he gave was the story of legal proceedings with his daughter being taken overseas and that he would never see her again.
"People understand that legal fees will go up and up but he used the money for gambling.
"He understood the money given to him was a loan and he always intended to pay it back."
Mr O'Neill added that Shields was "disgusted" and that he could not believe he let things get to the stage they did with a woman he regarded as a friend, whom showed him nothing but kindness.
The court also heard Shields was now seeking help with his gambling addiction and had previously used the habit as a coping mechanism for depression.
Mr O'Neill urged the sheriff to put Shields on probation so he could get a job and pay Ms McFarlane back.
But Sheriff MacKinnon said a custodial sentence was the only option.
First offender Shields will also be on a supervised release order for six months after he has served his jail sentence.
