'Clumsy' South Shields fraudster caught by 'grammar' in forged court documents

James Phinn was due to be sentenced for two fraud offences and had already failed to turn up twice when he submitted letters from a fake employer saying he was stranded on an oil rig in the North Sea due to a helicopter strike.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the judge in the case noticed the "clumsiness" of the wording in the documents and said there was "something about the grammar and capitalisation" which raised suspicion so ordered that the police should investigate.

When officers approached the firm Phinn claimed to work for it was revealed he had never been an employee and nor had his manager who was referred to in the paperwork.

Phinn today got locked up for nine months for the fraud offences followed by a further 12 months for his attempt to avoid court, making a total of 21 months.

Prosecutor James Yearsley told the court Phinn was convicted of two charges of fraud in relation to him using a bank card that had been stolen from his girlfriend's gran, who has since died, to withdraw £550 over two transactions at cashpoints.

He had denied the charges but was convicted by a jury after a trial.

Phinn was bailed but did not attend the first sentence hearing as he said he was at his grandfather's funeral then claimed he was at a medical appointment when it was listed for a second time.

It was when the case was due to be heard for a third time, in May this year, that Phinn submitted the fake documentation, through his lawyers.

Mr Yearsley said: "Documents had been uploaded the day before which suggested he was employed by a company and there had been a helicopter strike and he was stuck on an oil rig in the North Sea.

"There was an email from his manager confirming this.

"The documents were queried and a police constable made inquiries and confirmed the defendant did not work there and never had done, nor did the manger."

At the third and final sentence today, Phinn, 35, of Marshall Wallis Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, pleaded guilty to doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of justice.

Mr Recorder David Gordon said: "There was some sophistication in that he went to the trouble of forging documents or having documents forged on his behalf.

"I accept there was some degree of clumsiness, something about the grammar and capitalisation of the documents which gave the game away."

Fiona Lamb, defending, said Phinn owed money as a result of drug use and had been receiving threats which left him petrified and he was "trying to avoid going to court".

Miss Lamb added: "He did panic and was trying to get out of something that really may not have been that bad in the end."

Miss Lamb said Phinn has now spent over three months in custody on remand and has been working hard in prison.