Former East Dunbartonshire Council leader Andrew Polson has been sentenced to 22 months in prison after defrauding his partner out of £188,000 in a property-based romance scam. Polson, 53, persuaded his partner to invest in property ventures between May 2021 and March 2022, falsely promising shared ownership and profits from refurbishments.
However, Polson secretly placed the properties solely in his name and used his partner’s funds for personal expenses, including social trips, weekends away, and his mother-in-law’s birthday party. He also embezzled £9,018.47 from charity radio station Revival FM, where he served as director.
At Glasgow Sheriff Court, Sheriff Paul Reid condemned Polson’s actions as “calculated over a long period,” emphasizing the betrayal of trust and emotional harm caused to the victim. Polson was additionally disqualified from serving as a company director for five years and issued a three-year non-harassment order prohibiting contact with the victim. A proceeds of crime hearing to recover the stolen funds is scheduled for March next year.
The court heard that Polson and his partner had a 24-year connection, meeting at church. They resumed an intimate relationship in May 2021, and Polson formed AA Lettings to flip properties. The victim, trusting Polson, invested nearly £187,500 of her own money, believing the properties would be solely in her name.
She discovered the fraud after accessing bank statements showing her funds were being used to cover Polson’s lifestyle, including casino visits and home renovations. Polson, who compared himself to the “Tinder Swindler” during the relationship, had previously been suspended by the Conservative Party amid the fraud allegations.
The victim stated the emotional impact was immense, affecting her and her children, while the Bearsden property has since been transferred to her name and is now for sale. Prosecutors highlighted Polson’s breach of both personal and charitable trust in their case, which led to his conviction.
