Northern Ireland

Bellaghy couple plead guilty to £700,000 fraud

Laptops and mobile phones used in fraudulent business

Derry Crown Court. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Derry Crown Court. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

A husband and wife will be sentenced at the end of July after they admitted a series of charges relating to fraud with cash involved of more than £700,000.

Cormac McGuckin (38) and Maura McGuckin (34), both of The Meadows in Bellaghy, appeared at Derry Crown Court where counsel asked for them to be re-arraigned.

Maura McGuckin pleaded guilty to two counts of converting criminal property namely £71,804 in holiday expenses and car payments.

She also admitted a charge of possessing criminal property namely £30,000 in cash.

All of the offences were said to have occurred on dates between July 31, 2017 and June 18, 2020.

Cormac McGuckin admitted participating in a fraudulent business on dates between January 1, 2016 and June 18, 2020.

He also admitted possessing articles for use in fraud on June 18 2020 namely laptops and mobile phones.

Cormac McGuckin also admitted to nine charges of converting criminal property, possessing criminal property and transferring criminal property valued at £785,630.

The court adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report and the pair are scheduled for sentence on July 31.