Fife man avoids jail over £31k building scam

A Fife man who admitted obtaining over £31,000 by fraud has avoided a jail term. 

The scam involved Steven Seivewright obtaining money for building work under false pretences. 

One customer, who was to have work carried out by Seivewright, was in court for the sentencing and claimed he was over £60,000 out of pocket. 

However, he was not awarded any of the £22,500 compensation that Seivewright will have to pay back. 

Seivewright, 56, of Gillespie Grove, Comrie, previously admitted his guilt at Dunfermline Sheriff Court. 

He formed a fraudulent scheme to obtain money by deception and between April and October 2011. 

He pretended to employees of Cash Generator, High Street, Dunfermline and also High Street, Kirkcaldy, that he was entitled to cash cheques, induced employees to cash the cheques and obtained £31,835 by fraud. 

He had entered into a contract as Holly Tree Construction undertaking to carry out building works at Burnside Cottage, Cupar, and induced Andrew Osler to supply him with cheques, which he claimed would be used to pay third parties for materials and services. 

He also entered into a contract to undertake building works at Stonecrest, Main Street, Star, pretending to James Salmond that he required cheques to pay third parties. 

He further pretended to employees of Cash Generator in Dunfermline that firms known as Soltire Contracts and Buckhaven Building were run by him in the name of Holly Tree Construction. 

Sheriff Craig McSherry wanted to know who should receive compensation. He was initially told that Mr Osler and Mr Salmond were not out of pocket. 

The defence position was that £22,500 was still owed to Robert Crockett, of Buckhaven Building Supplies. 

After further inquiries, depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said that Mr Osler was in court and had told her he was more than £60,000 out of pocket for work he had to have carried out to finish off the job started by Seivewright. 

The sheriff said that was a matter that may have to be pursued through civil court action. 

He ordered Seivewright to pay £22,500 compensation to Mr Crockett. He was also placed on supervision for 24 months and ordered to perform 240 hours of unpaid work. 

Seivewright was warned that if he failed to comply with the court orders he could be facing 32 months in jail.