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Ex Beauly woman told to return to Scotland after fake Hollywood actress scam





Ann Dunlop was sentenced today.
Ann Dunlop was sentenced today.

A mum who conned her family in a £35,000 bogus Hollywood actress fraud has been tagged for 10 months.

Previously of Beauly, Ann Dunlop (69) claimed her daughter Heather Dunlop (40) was being lined up for million-pound contracts.

Ann convinced brother David Bunton (52) to hand Heather cash to help her make the breakthrough.

Fake Hollywood actress scammer with Highland links jailed for 8 months

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She stated that Heather was mingling with A-listers such as Leonardo Di Caprio and Beyonce as well as being managed by US entertainment executive Irving Azoff.

Ann also induced her sister Jean Allan and her husband Steven Allan with the string of lies.

Steven believed that Ann and Heather had "champagne on tap" at the plush London home they shared.

He stated that he believed Ann and her family were "like the Waltons" but ended up "like the Dingles".

Steven stated Heather’s acting career was a "best kept secret" and compared it to the nuclear codes at Faslane.

Ann later requested Steven and Jean to pay her and Heather’s gas and council tax bills as she did not have enough money.

Ann was found guilty last year to defrauding her family a total of £35,368 at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Heather was jailed last week for eight months after she pled guilty to a similar charge.

Sheriff Vincent Lunny also told the hearing that Ann, of Margate, Kent, should find a Scottish address to be given a tag or she faced a similar fate to her daughter.

Ann’s lawyer Neil Stewart told the sentencing that she will stay with her mother.

Sheriff Lunny put Ann on a restriction of liberty order which is an “alternative to custody”.

He said: “The stress to your family was significant but I can take a step back, only just, from custody.

“I appreciate that being told money was available [to pay their victims back] did not come from you and it does distinguish you to some extent.

“Your evidence at trial was not believed at all and your appeal was unsuccessful.”

Last month Heather was jailed for eight months.


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