HOBO KING CON

[maroonlegions]

Crime pays for ex-Hibs boss

 

 

 

HE was a high-profile director with Hibs, happy to pose with a broad grin for photographs in his role as the club's commercial director.

Today he prefers a much lower profile ? hiding behind a made-up name in a controversial new book ;)which glorifies his four-year prison sentence for one of Scotland's largest frauds.

 

But despite his attempt to keep his identity under wraps ? by writing under the pseudonym Sean Bridges :107years:? the Evening News can reveal convicted fraudster Ian Erskine's attempts to cash in on his criminal past.

 

The 54-year-old said he was forced to adopt a pen name to protect his family from "a drug and crime baron in Dumbartonshire":Dr_Evil: ? named in his book as Ronnie Stevens ? who he says he savagely beat in jail.

 

He describes the alleged incident in bloody detail in his prison diary-style book.

 

"I've had a big advance from the publishers," Erskine boasts. "And any money that the book makes comes right to me.

 

"I don't want to go into details about what my crime was ? they are irrelevant but they might be the subject of another book.":eek:

 

But Erskine and his publishers today found themselves the centre of criticism for trying to profit from his crime.

 

The former Royal High School student was dubbed "King Con" after a ?11 million golf accessories fraud, which duped one of his closest school friends, as well as a former Royal Bank of Scotland governor, and drained funds from a major business.

 

It centred on claims he had secured a contract for the goods from high street giant Marks & Spencer.

 

Today Scottish Government Justice Committee convener Bill Aitken criticised its publication. He said: "It's entirely inappropriate that someone who has committed a crime should be writing a book to profit from this crime.

 

"Publishers have to respect the view of the public and the vast majority of them will find this unacceptable."

 

The publisher, Edinburgh-based Mainstream, argued the book is a valid account of a prisoner's experiences.

 

A spokeswoman said: "There was violence ? he witnessed another jailmate being beaten to a pulp ? and now he is calling for change. A lot of prisoners went to him because he was more educated. He feels as someone who has experienced prison and with his education he is in a position to call for change.

 

"There's nothing illegal in convicted criminals being paid to write books ? we have plenty of people who are convicted criminals who are writing for us.

 

"Every individual has their view on the morals of it all but it's not for me to make comment on."

 

But a close relative of one of his fraud scheme victims said they were surprised to discover his story is being published.

 

The relative said: "It's not right to think that what he did was a victimless crime. There were people who were very badly affected by him."

 

Erskine shamed his family in 2002 when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh, where Lady Cosgrove told him his ?11m fraud scheme which deceived Sir Robin Duthie, a former governor of the Royal Bank of Scotland, and Erskine's one time Royal High school friend, Mark Walker, had "caused significant harm to others".

 

He was sentenced to four years for what was considered at the time to be one of the largest deceptions in Scottish history, eventually serving two years at Saughton, Glenochil, Castle Huntly and Noranside jails.

 

Now 54, Erskine was described in court at the time as a "Walter Mitty" fantasy character who contrived his scheme in a bid to keep up appearances with his former Royal High School students.

 

He now presents himself as crusader for prisoners' rights, whose book is aimed at provoking a rethink of Scotland's dated penal justice system.

 

In fact the 236-page paperback begins with Erskine graphically describing how he kicked a dog unconscious as he protected a Norwegian tourist from its owner in a city street and concludes with him relating how he systematically beat a fellow prisoner repeatedly with a television set.

 

As well as graphic descriptions of life within Scotland's highest-profile jails ? including claims that crooked prison officers fuel inmates' addictions by smuggling drugs inside ? Erskine goes on to portray himself as a lifesaving hero after helping a fellow prisoner who swallowed his tongue during a fit.

 

Today the former Hibs director said the Sean Bridges' book, Better to be Feared: Jail Life in the Raw, is his work. "I decided to write it under a pseudonym for my family's protection," he said. "Besides, it doesn't make any difference whatsoever if I am Ian Erskine, former Hibs commercial director, because it's not about that.

 

"If certain people know I've written about them in the book and come after my family, then I'll come after the journalist."

 

Speaking in the comfortable living room of his first-floor home, the one-time rugby player insisted he had done nothing wrong in publishing memoirs of his court appearances and time behind bars, preferring to claim the book is an account of the failures of the criminal justice system.

 

"The book is telling a story, my story of my time inside for a white collar crime as a first offender," he said. "I spent 14 months in maximum security prison when Jeffrey Archer spent three weeks in maximum security for a similar crime. It exposes the system and how it will continue to fail society because it just feeds on itself."

 

Erskine spent 17 days on remand in Barlinnie before receiving bail before his final court appearance in 2002.

 

He says his experiences prompted him to push for white collar crime prisoners, such as fraudsters, to be jailed for shorter periods in maximum security prisons.

 

"I took the system on and I changed it," he claimed. "I felt I was being treated unfairly not in terms of the sentence but the way I was held in maximum security for so long. For a white collar crime not involving drugs or violence and for a first-time offender to spend 14 months in maximum security ? well it was cruel.

 

"I managed to change things for the better for people coming behind me. Now it's three months in max security."

 

Erskine, who lives in Saughton, said he never set out to write an account of his experiences, but was instead encouraged by a contact who showed his work to Mainstream Publishing, whose recent titles have included The Ferris Conspiracy, written by one-time Glasgow gangland figure Paul Ferris with crime writer Reg McKay. Its decision to publish Erskine's account comes just a month before the Scottish Government is due to deliver its response to a UK-wide consultation on ensuring criminals do not benefit from their crimes.

 

The consultation, announced in the wake of a number of high-profile crime memoirs, includes the possibility of new laws banning criminals from profiting from book deals.

 

Literary agents and publishers, however, have suggested they would object to what was seen as attempted censorship.

 

And Victim Support Scotland said it believes most victims of crime simply want justice irrespective of whether a criminal later profits from their actions.

 

A spokesperson said: "It may well be a difficult situation for victims and they might feel aggrieved, but what is more important to a victim is that someone who commits an offence is punished for it.

 

"If that person then embarks on a commercial venture, then he is entitled to the money for it."

 

Newspapers operate a voluntary code of practice overseen by the Press Complaints Commission, which states that payments must not be made for material which seeks to exploit, glorify or glamorise crime.

 

Erskine, meanwhile, has already spoken on local radio in an attempt to push sales of his memoirs. He said: "If I make a profit, then the money comes to me.

 

"But people have to buy the book first."

 

VICTIMS: THE CHILDHOOD FRIEND AND THE TOP BUSINESSMAN

 

IAN ERSKINE devised his multi-million-pound con after quitting as Hibs commercial director in 1996 after it was reported his brother had been given a car leased by Hibs.:107years:

 

Father of two Erskine then pretended to have a deal to supply golf accessories to Marks & Spencer.

 

He tricked Mark Walter, with whom he'd been friends since school, into investing in his plan, and:p

 

Mr Walker enlisted his father-in-law, Sir Robin Duthie ? formerly a governor of the Royal Bank of Scotland ? to help secure ?10 million from Versailles Trade Finance, in Glasgow.

 

The golfing goods, costing ?6m, were stored in a warehouse in Glasgow.

 

However, Versailles hit financial trouble unconnected with Erskine's fraud and M&S questioned faxes and e-mails about the deal.

 

The deal, devised between 1998 and 2000, netted Erskine over ?100,000.

 

At the time, Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson was considering new powers to confiscate money made by offenders writing about their criminal exploits after a stream of memoirs from convicted criminals.:107years

[berry_jambo_man]

Crime pays for ex-Hibs boss

 

 

 

HE was a high-profile director with Hibs, happy to pose with a broad grin for photographs in his role as the club's commercial director.

Today he prefers a much lower profile ? hiding behind a made-up name in a controversial new book ;)which glorifies his four-year prison sentence for one of Scotland's largest frauds.

 

But despite his attempt to keep his identity under wraps ? by writing under the pseudonym Sean Bridges the Evening News can reveal convicted fraudster Ian Erskine's attempts to cash in on his criminal past.

 

The 54-year-old said he was forced to adopt a pen name to protect his family from "a drug and crime baron in Dumbartonshire":Dr_Evil: ? named in his book as Ronnie Stevens ? who he says he savagely beat in jail.

 

He describes the alleged incident in bloody detail in his prison diary-style book.

 

"I've had a big advance from the publishers," Erskine boasts. "And any money that the book makes comes right to me.

 

"I don't want to go into details about what my crime was ? they are irrelevant but they might be the subject of another book.":eek:

 

But Erskine and his publishers today found themselves the centre of criticism for trying to profit from his crime.

 

The former Royal High School student was dubbed "King Con" after a ?11 million golf accessories fraud, which duped one of his closest school friends, as well as a former Royal Bank of Scotland governor, and drained funds from a major business.

 

It centred on claims he had secured a contract for the goods from high street giant Marks & Spencer.

 

Today Scottish Government Justice Committee convener Bill Aitken criticised its publication. He said: "It's entirely inappropriate that someone who has committed a crime should be writing a book to profit from this crime.

 

"Publishers have to respect the view of the public and the vast majority of them will find this unacceptable."

 

The publisher, Edinburgh-based Mainstream, argued the book is a valid account of a prisoner's experiences.

 

A spokeswoman said: "There was violence ? he witnessed another jailmate being beaten to a pulp ? and now he is calling for change. A lot of prisoners went to him because he was more educated. He feels as someone who has experienced prison and with his education he is in a position to call for change.

 

"There's nothing illegal in convicted criminals being paid to write books ? we have plenty of people who are convicted criminals who are writing for us.

 

"Every individual has their view on the morals of it all but it's not for me to make comment on."

 

But a close relative of one of his fraud scheme victims said they were surprised to discover his story is being published.

 

The relative said: "It's not right to think that what he did was a victimless crime. There were people who were very badly affected by him."

 

Erskine shamed his family in 2002 when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh, where Lady Cosgrove told him his ?11m fraud scheme which deceived Sir Robin Duthie, a former governor of the Royal Bank of Scotland, and Erskine's one time Royal High school friend, Mark Walker, had "caused significant harm to others".

 

He was sentenced to four years for what was considered at the time to be one of the largest deceptions in Scottish history, eventually serving two years at Saughton, Glenochil, Castle Huntly and Noranside jails.

 

Now 54, Erskine was described in court at the time as a "Walter Mitty" fantasy character who contrived his scheme in a bid to keep up appearances with his former Royal High School students.

 

He now presents himself as crusader for prisoners' rights, whose book is aimed at provoking a rethink of Scotland's dated penal justice system.

 

In fact the 236-page paperback begins with Erskine graphically describing how he kicked a dog unconscious as he protected a Norwegian tourist from its owner in a city street and concludes with him relating how he systematically beat a fellow prisoner repeatedly with a television set.

 

As well as graphic descriptions of life within Scotland's highest-profile jails ? including claims that crooked prison officers fuel inmates' addictions by smuggling drugs inside ? Erskine goes on to portray himself as a lifesaving hero after helping a fellow prisoner who swallowed his tongue during a fit.

 

Today the former Hibs director said the Sean Bridges' book, Better to be Feared: Jail Life in the Raw, is his work. "I decided to write it under a pseudonym for my family's protection," he said. "Besides, it doesn't make any difference whatsoever if I am Ian Erskine, former Hibs commercial director, because it's not about that.

 

"If certain people know I've written about them in the book and come after my family, then I'll come after the journalist."

 

Speaking in the comfortable living room of his first-floor home, the one-time rugby player insisted he had done nothing wrong in publishing memoirs of his court appearances and time behind bars, preferring to claim the book is an account of the failures of the criminal justice system.

 

"The book is telling a story, my story of my time inside for a white collar crime as a first offender," he said. "I spent 14 months in maximum security prison when Jeffrey Archer spent three weeks in maximum security for a similar crime. It exposes the system and how it will continue to fail society because it just feeds on itself."

 

Erskine spent 17 days on remand in Barlinnie before receiving bail before his final court appearance in 2002.

 

He says his experiences prompted him to push for white collar crime prisoners, such as fraudsters, to be jailed for shorter periods in maximum security prisons.

 

"I took the system on and I changed it," he claimed. "I felt I was being treated unfairly not in terms of the sentence but the way I was held in maximum security for so long. For a white collar crime not involving drugs or violence and for a first-time offender to spend 14 months in maximum security ? well it was cruel.

 

"I managed to change things for the better for people coming behind me. Now it's three months in max security."

 

Erskine, who lives in Saughton, said he never set out to write an account of his experiences, but was instead encouraged by a contact who showed his work to Mainstream Publishing, whose recent titles have included The Ferris Conspiracy, written by one-time Glasgow gangland figure Paul Ferris with crime writer Reg McKay. Its decision to publish Erskine's account comes just a month before the Scottish Government is due to deliver its response to a UK-wide consultation on ensuring criminals do not benefit from their crimes.

 

The consultation, announced in the wake of a number of high-profile crime memoirs, includes the possibility of new laws banning criminals from profiting from book deals.

 

Literary agents and publishers, however, have suggested they would object to what was seen as attempted censorship.

 

And Victim Support Scotland said it believes most victims of crime simply want justice irrespective of whether a criminal later profits from their actions.

 

A spokesperson said: "It may well be a difficult situation for victims and they might feel aggrieved, but what is more important to a victim is that someone who commits an offence is punished for it.

 

"If that person then embarks on a commercial venture, then he is entitled to the money for it."

 

Newspapers operate a voluntary code of practice overseen by the Press Complaints Commission, which states that payments must not be made for material which seeks to exploit, glorify or glamorise crime.

 

Erskine, meanwhile, has already spoken on local radio in an attempt to push sales of his memoirs. He said: "If I make a profit, then the money comes to me.

 

"But people have to buy the book first."

 

VICTIMS: THE CHILDHOOD FRIEND AND THE TOP BUSINESSMAN

 

IAN ERSKINE devised his multi-million-pound con after quitting as Hibs commercial director in 1996 after it was reported his brother had been given a car leased by Hibs.:107years:

 

Father of two Erskine then pretended to have a deal to supply golf accessories to Marks & Spencer.

 

He tricked Mark Walter, with whom he'd been friends since school, into investing in his plan, and:p

 

Mr Walker enlisted his father-in-law, Sir Robin Duthie ? formerly a governor of the Royal Bank of Scotland ? to help secure ?10 million from Versailles Trade Finance, in Glasgow.

 

The golfing goods, costing ?6m, were stored in a warehouse in Glasgow.

 

However, Versailles hit financial trouble unconnected with Erskine's fraud and M&S questioned faxes and e-mails about the deal.

 

The deal, devised between 1998 and 2000, netted Erskine over ?100,000.

 

At the time, Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson was considering new powers to confiscate money made by offenders writing about their criminal exploits after a stream of memoirs from convicted criminals.:107years

 

 

 

 

[jazzmaster]

'Walter Mitty' sums this joker up well, our paths have crossed and he really is deluded.

[John Findlay]

Here it is the proof that we are right to ignore hoboeconomists.

 

 

 

 

 

John

[maroonlegions]

:rolleyes:

 

 

 

 

 

each to his own eh.