Court sentence deferred on Silver Sands fraudster

A FRAUDSTER who conned £53,000 out of prospective caravan buyers in Moray has been given more time to repay his victims.

Neale Rothera’s solicitor lodged a payment of £3,500 at Elgin Sheriff Court on Friday, and said his client would pay back the outstanding balance when he next appears on April 5.

Rothera (37) was a sales consultant at Silver Sands Caravan Park in Lossiemouth when he admitted inducing seven people to pay him £53,000 for the sale of caravans, which he never owned. The frauds took place between May 5 and July 2, 2009.

In his last court appearance on November 3, Rothera, of 5 Orchard Way, Wymeswold, Leicestershire, paid back a sum of £26,500, mainly obtained by cashing in a pension policy.

Sentencing on that date was deferred for Rothera to make more payments, and on Friday his defence agent presented a further cheque for £3,500 along with a promise that the remaining amount of £23,000 would be gained over the next three months.

"He will be in the position to pay the outstanding balance in a period of twelve weeks," said Rothera’s solicitor. "Those sums will come from his salary and expected bonuses during that period."

The defence agent also requested that Rothera’s bail conditions, which prevented him from travelling outwith the European Union, be amended in order for him to make a business trip to China.

He said Rothera had a new sales consultancy job and his employers needed him to attend a trade fair in the Far East on March 18 for around ten days.

Sheriff Susan Raeburn QC granted the removal of the bail condition, and further deferred sentence until April 5.