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02/05/2013
Man Jailed For Selling Fake Bomb Detectors
A man has been jailed for 10 years after being found guilty of selling fake bomb detectors.
Appearing at the Old Bailey, James McCormick, 56, from Somerset was said to have perpetrated a "callous confidence trick", the BBC has said.
It is believed McCormick made £50m from sales, selling around £26.2m of the devices to Iraq alone, and Judge Hone described the profit as "outrageous".
During the trial, the court heard how the devices - which were sold for up to £27,000 each – actually had no scientific basis and were based on novelty golf-ball finders.
They were marketed to the military, police forces and government departments around the world using glossy brochures, and were said to be capable of finding bombs hidden underground or under water.
Sentencing the accused, Mr Hone said: "You are the driving force and sole director behind [the fraud].
"The device was useless, the profit outrageous, and your culpability as a fraudster has to be considered to be of the highest order."
Prosecuting QC Richard Whittam said that the justice and foreign affairs ministries in Baghdad were hit by truck bombs - which drove through the checkpoints where the useless devices were operated. The prosecution added the "inescapable conclusion" was that Iraqis died because of their use.
(JP/CD)
Appearing at the Old Bailey, James McCormick, 56, from Somerset was said to have perpetrated a "callous confidence trick", the BBC has said.
It is believed McCormick made £50m from sales, selling around £26.2m of the devices to Iraq alone, and Judge Hone described the profit as "outrageous".
During the trial, the court heard how the devices - which were sold for up to £27,000 each – actually had no scientific basis and were based on novelty golf-ball finders.
They were marketed to the military, police forces and government departments around the world using glossy brochures, and were said to be capable of finding bombs hidden underground or under water.
Sentencing the accused, Mr Hone said: "You are the driving force and sole director behind [the fraud].
"The device was useless, the profit outrageous, and your culpability as a fraudster has to be considered to be of the highest order."
Prosecuting QC Richard Whittam said that the justice and foreign affairs ministries in Baghdad were hit by truck bombs - which drove through the checkpoints where the useless devices were operated. The prosecution added the "inescapable conclusion" was that Iraqis died because of their use.
(JP/CD)
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