Thomas Roberts, aged 30, and 25-year-old Shane McDonagh, both from the Staines area of Wraysbury, England were convicted of seven counts of fraud and possession of criminal assets. Roberts was also separately convicted of driving with no insurance and McDonagh of possession of a Class C controlled drug. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
At Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday, they were handed a 40-month sentence for all offences. They were ordered to spend 20 months in prison, and the remainder of the sentence on licence. The fraudulent purchase of vehicles was carried out by both men between the period of February and October 2022 across the Belfast, Derry / Londonderry, Armagh and Newry areas, Detective Sergeant Cargin said: “An extensive and detailed investigation commenced after the suspects fraudulently purchased seven vehicles through classified advertising on a website.
"The seller was then contacted by the defendants and arrangements were made to meet in Northern Ireland. Advertisement Advertisement "They then took the vehicle for a test drive and a price was agreed. The defendant showed a fake banking app which appeared to display the agreed amount being transferred.
However, the money never arrived for the sale and contact was lost. "Of the seven vehicles stolen in this manner three were later recovered, only one of which was in a usable cond.