Dungannon man conned woman out of £11,000 for shed

A DUNGANNON man who took £11,000 for a shed he never delivered has been given four months to repay his victim, a court has ruled.

Daniel Bell (38), of Woodburn Crescent, appeared before Dungannon Magistrates Court, facing a charge of fraud by false representation.

The court heard that in February, Bell accepted an upfront payment of £11,000 from the injured party for a new shed.

However, after receiving the money, he avoided further contact.

When the victim eventually reached him, Bell claimed a local manufacturer was responsible for supplying the materials.

Upon inquiry, the manufacturer confirmed that while Bell had placed orders with them in the past, there was no record of a recent transaction.

Bell admitted in court that he had been under the influence of drugs at the time, consuming up to seven grams of cocaine per day.

His defence solicitor stated that Bell had ‘significant drug debts’ and, as he was currently on benefits, could not afford to repay the victim. The solicitor also noted that Bell had recently lost four close family members in tragic circumstances.

District Judge Rafferty described Bell’s actions as ‘outrageous’ and questioned whether he had considered getting a job. Bell responded that he would do ‘whatever it takes’ to avoid a custodial sentence.

The judge adjourned the case, granting Bell four months to secure the compensation. He is due to return to court on May 28.