Sheriff tells conman you deserve jail beating – a lesson for other con artists ?

A sheriff tells a bogus workman who was beaten up in prison he deserved it … the bogus workman being jailed for 10 months after conning a 91 year old woman out of her savings.

Lesson for other con artists out there ? and there are plenty about, even con artist relatives …

BBC News reports :

Conman 'deserved' prison attack

A bogus workman who was beaten up in prison has been told "you deserve anything you receive" by a sheriff.

Eddie Newlands, 37, from Perth, was sent to jail for 10 months on Thursday after conning a 91-year-old woman out of £5,500 of her savings.

Perth Sheriff Court heard he had been "significantly assaulted" twice in custody by inmates angry at his crime.

Sheriff Margaret Gimblett said she had no sympathy and described what he had done to the pensioner as "despicable."

Newlands and another man had carried out "repairs" to Mary Hogg's house in Auchterarder between 18 and 22 July.

Afterwards, they told her they needed £5,500 in cash and made her go to the bank to withdraw the money.

You deserve anything you receive while in prison
Sheriff Margaret Gimblett

The pensioner's family called the police after hearing what had happened. They were told that the wrong spray had been used on the roof and that it would cost more than £4,000 to fix.

When officers came to question Newlands at his home on 1 October, he pulled out a knife and threatened to attack them.

Newlands' solicitor John McLaughlin said: "He has been significantly assaulted in prison on two separate occasions.

"This is the type of crime which is not looked upon favourably in custody and he realises he will have an exceptionally difficult time during his period in custody."

While passing sentence, Sheriff Gimblett replied: "You deserve anything you receive while in prison. What you did to this old lady was despicable."

Sheriff blames victims after lawyer found guilty of filming female staff in toilet

A sheriff seems to think it must be the victims fault too apparently, or is that only when the case involves a solicitor who hid a camera in a ladies toilet …

The Scotsman reports :

Toilet pervert victims 'made to share blame'

Published Date: 10 September 2008
By Tim Bugler

A SOLICITOR who hid a camera in a ladies' toilet and filmed female staff was given three years' probation yesterday after a sheriff said his actions were so clumsy any woman should have spotted them.

Peter Fitzpatrick put the device in a pile of cardboard boxes in the lavatory at the Stirling law firm Muirhead Buchanan.

He was caught when a 24-year-old secretary noticed that a circular hole had been carved in the side of one of the boxes, which was propped up with poly-styrene and pointed at the toilet seat. Inside was a video camera and recording cassette.

Other members of staff had also used the toilet while the camera was in place.

Sheriff Margaret Gimblett put Fitzpatrick, who was grinning in court, on the sex offenders' register and ordered him to attend group work sessions.

The sheriff's ruling was criticised last night by Liz Smith, the Conservative MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife.

She said: "This man has committed a truly reprehensible offence and the public will be astonished by the suggestion that his victims were somehow at fault for not being more aware of the circumstances around them.

"How is that an excuse for his actions? It could be interpreted as a damning indictment of women when they are blamed for not being more vigilant in an environment where they should be secure. I suspect we haven't heard the last of this case."

In court, Ms Gimblett told 49-year-old Fitzpatrick:

"You were a partner in a firm of solicitors, and in such a firm the employees are entitled to feel totally safe when they go to the toilet.

"It was premeditated – not just done on the spur of the moment like flashing – but it was very clumsy and I think any lady with her wits about her would have noticed that one of these boxes had been tampered with.

"It was so clumsy, perhaps it was a cry for help. I also take into account the effect on your family – devastating. You brought shame on them."

Ms Gimblett said that Fitzpatrick had been ill with depression at the time of the offence, and had been assessed as representing a low risk of reoffending. She revealed she had received a testimonial from another "very senior" solicitor and family friend of Fitzpatrick, who said he was still prepared to allow his daughters to sleep over at Fitzpatrick's house.

Ms Gimblett said: "If such a person of high standing is prepared to allow his daughters to stay with you, it is an acknowledgement that this is truly not something that's likely to be repeated. You're so lucky to have the support of such a friend and your close family.

"The effect on you personally and professionally is a huge punishment. The suggestion (in the social inquiry report] of an alternative to prison is sensible."

Fitzpatrick, a father of two from Rutherglen, who has been a solicitor for 27 years, left Muirhead Buchanan as soon as his crime was discovered.