Andrew Deans: Pensioner jailed for swindling more than £300,000 from Co Tyrone credit union fails in legal bid to avoid prison

Judges in the Court of Appeal rejected claims that the two-year sentence imposed on Andrew Deans, 80, should have been suspended because of the consequences for his frail wife.

Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan ruled that the need to punish his persistent offending outweighed any impact on those care arrangements.

“This was a very bad example of dishonest behaviour, a serious breach of trust perpetrated over 16 years directed against vulnerable and elderly people, and even family members,” she stated.

“That is why the public interest trumps the private interest in this case.”

Deans, from Old School Field in Drumahoe, Co Derry / Londonderry committed multiple thefts and frauds against victims whose savings were taken without their knowledge or permission.

He was a founding member of the North Tyrone Credit Union and described as being at the heart of his operation.

But between 2007 and 2023 he repeatedly targeted more than 30 accounts held by friends, relatives and other elderly people who rarely made withdrawals.

The scam involved betraying those who had trusted him to safeguard their money through his role as a director in the financial cooperative.

Deans stole cash given to him by some customers for deposits, withdrew further significant sums by forging signatures, and also created fictitious loans in their names.

Concerns were first raised in March 2023 after one shareholder discovered £45,000 had been taken from her account.

Financial investigations then established that the credit union suffered total financial losses of around £338,000.

Deans told police the stolen money was used to pay off debts at his butcher’s shop business.

One of the victims has branded him “the ultimate conman… with no moral compass”.

The defendant pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and theft of cash belonging to shareholders or customers in the credit union.

Last month he was handed a two-year term, with half to be served in custody and half on licence.

Appealing against the sentence, Counsel for Deans claimed there were exceptional circumstances which justified suspending that term.

Newly obtained information and evidence was submitted as Eoghan Devlin KC stressed the effect imprisonment has had on the care needs of his client’s wife.

The court heard she now suffers from significant physical and mental health issues.

“The deterioration (in her condition) is particularly stark,” Mr Devlin submitted.

However, the Lady Chief Justice held that the impact on Deans’ family from his incarceration was predictable.

“That is not a reason for us to now find exceptional circumstances, notwithstanding the personal sadness about what is happening to the applicant’s wife,” she said.

Dame Siobhan identified “a need for the public interest to be maintained in terms of punishment in cases of this nature”.

Dismissing the appeal, she confirmed: “We are not satisfied that the applicant has established any arguable case that the sentence imposed on him was disproportionate.”