A 31-year-old man has been jailed for two years after admitting to stealing £50,000 from his vulnerable father over a three-year period.
Stephan Dewar fraudulently accessed his 67-year-old father Andrew Dewar’s bank account after initially being given his banking details to arrange a £5,000 loan for a pub purchase. Instead, he secretly set up online banking in his father’s name and began transferring money without his knowledge.
Dewar, a barman, also pretended to be his father during telephone conversations with the bank. Recorded calls were later reviewed and identified as Dewar impersonating the victim.
The fraud took place between May 4, 2019 and April 26, 2022. During that period, a total of £50,000 was transferred from his father’s account into his own, with the money subsequently spent on a range of purchases and entertainment.
Dewar’s father had suffered a stroke in 2007, did not use the internet or online banking and was described as virtually housebound. He had a substantial pension from his previous employment and initially agreed to give his son £5,000 believing the money would eventually be returned.
The fraud was uncovered after Dewar’s uncle, who held Power of Attorney for Andrew, noticed significant sums disappearing from the account. An investigation found numerous online transfers followed by ATM withdrawals.
Prosecutor Jill Drummond told Dundee Sheriff Court that Dewar spent money at bars, supermarkets, Greggs, transport services and other businesses. Records also showed 18 payments to OnlyFans ranging from £3 to £15, alongside smaller gambling transactions with William Hill.
Sheriff George Way described the offence as “despicable”, saying Dewar had breached a fundamental responsibility to protect and care for his father. The sheriff also criticised him for failing to attend court on several occasions, saying he had “exhausted the compassion of the court”.
Defence solicitor Scott Norrie said Dewar recognised the seriousness of his actions and had experienced shame, embarrassment and fear. He acknowledged that his client had taken advantage of a vulnerable man for his own benefit.
Dewar was ultimately sentenced to 24 months in prison after admitting to the large-scale fraud and impersonation scheme.
