Woman denies £40,000 fraud at Wick Sheriff Court

Her plea comes after months of deliberations centring on her fitness to plead.

Fiona Taylor denied she committed a £40,000 fraud and a trial date was fixed this week after Sheriff Ian Miller expressed concern about the lack of progress in the case.

Taylor, of Glamis Road, Wick, is alleged to have pretended to pensioner Albert Millington that she needed money to help her granddaughter with ent arrears and for the purchase and running of the Wick Airport Café. The 88-year-old was to be given ownership of the business for his £33,000 investment. Taylor (63) is further accused of inducing him to pay her £7000 for a car she would use to drive him about.

The offences are said to have been committed between December 10, 2015 and July 1, 2016.

Taylor has undergone a medical assessment to establish her fitness to plead but solicitor Sylvia Maclennan told Sheriff Miller at Wick Sheriff Court that a report had proved “less than satisfactory” and left certain questions unanswered.

The psychologist had stated “it was unlikely that Taylor would be able to answer questions in a court setting”.

Miss MacLennan said she was awaiting the outcome of a psychiatric report and that she had been parachuted in to represent the accused some time after proceedings got under way.

There had also been a considerable delay in getting medical records released.

Sheriff Miller, considering the case for the first time, said he had read the relevant papers and observed it had first been adjourned without plea since August last year.

"Given the length of time involved, I think we should really be looking to a plea being tendered,” he said.

Miss Maclennan entered a plea of not guilty.

Taylor is now scheduled to stand trial on July 21.