A former council leader and Christian radio station director who carried out a near £200,000 romance fraud against a woman he met years earlier at church has been jailed for 22 months.
Andrew Polson, 53, preyed on the 72-year-old woman by persuading her to transfer money under the false pretence she was investing in two homes and a letting firm.
However, the East Dunbartonshire councillor instead put his sole name on the title deeds of both properties and used the ill-gotten gains to fund his lifestyle – which included weekends away and a birthday party for his mother-in-law.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Polson first met the woman at church and the pair worked together at the now defunct Revival Radio Ltd.
They were said to have intermittently been in a relationship from 2013, which resumed during the COVID pandemic.
In May 2021, Polson persuaded the woman to pay £40,500 to buy out his ex-wife’s share of a house in Bellshill, Lanarkshire.
COPFS said the woman believed they would each jointly own half of the property and that she would receive half of any rental income.
However, prosecutors showed Polson became the sole owner a month later.
In January 2022, the woman then transferred £146,000 to purchase a home in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire.
COPFS said she understood the house would be solely in her name, however, six days later, Polson registered himself as the sole owner.
The woman also deposited around £200 a month into AA Lettings, a firm they jointly established to cover repair costs on the two properties.
Polson’s bad behaviour came to light around March 2022 when the woman saw a bank statement for the company and suspected she was the victim of fraudulent activity.
Police Scotland was alerted following an examination of the accounts, and the fraudster was subsequently found to have embezzled £9,018 from the now dissolved Revival FM.
Polson, who had previously been the Christian radio station’s financial director and latterly the chief operating officer, used the charity’s direct debit card to pay for a casino outing and property refurbishments.
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Polson denied any wrongdoing but was last month found guilty of two charges following a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
He was convicted of being involved in a fraudulent scheme – aggravated by a charge of domestic abuse – as well as embezzlement.
Polson was handed the 22-month jail term when he returned for sentencing on Wednesday.
He was also banned from contacting his victim for three years and will be subject to proceedings under proceeds of crime legislation.
Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Campbell said Polson “abused the trust placed in him and acted dishonestly to gain substantial sums of money” from the victim and charity.
Fraser Gibson, procurator fiscal for Glasgow and Strathkelvin, added: “Andrew Polson exploited the kindness of his former partner to fund his own lifestyle.
“Romance fraud is a particularly appalling crime that has both an emotional and financial impact.
“Financial crime cases can be complex, but the evidence presented during the trial made the criminal activity clear.”
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A spokesperson for the local authority said: “We do not comment on individuals.”
The Scottish Conservatives were contacted for comment.
