A woman scammed a couple out of £11,000 after selling her dead partner’s mobility car which did not belong to them.

Gemma McGregor, 32, conned John Harris and his wife Alison at a property in Glasgow’s Maryhill on August 24, 2018.

McGregor put an add on Gumtree for the vehicle following the death of her partner Matt Quinn to cancer.

The victims answered the ad and paid the money for the vehicle which was later uplifted by company Motability UK who truly owned the car and had leased it to Mr Quinn.

Mr and Mrs Harris were left out of pocket as a result. 

McGregor pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to a single fraud charge.

The court heard Mr Harris spotted the online ad and made an arrangement to view the vehicle.

The couple met with a man and there was “no mention” of why the vehicle was being sold.

A fee of £11,000 was agreed for the purchase and the couple then met McGregor whose bank account was to receive the cash.

Several days later, Mr Harris discovered that he did not receive a logbook for the vehicle and contacted Arnold Clark.

He spoke to employee Cheryl Quinn who was able to confirm that the vehicle belonged to her uncle.

Ms Quinn contacted McGregor to ask about the vehicle’s whereabouts. 

She was told by McGregor that the company who owned the vehicle collected it two weeks previous. 

Prosecutor Leo McGinn added: “She denied knowledge of the Gumtree advert.”

Ms Quinn then contacted the company who also denied knowledge of the pickup.

The company later attended and uplifted the vehicle and the police were contacted.

McGregor later handed herself in and was arrested.

Bob McDowall, defending, told the court: "The couple were out of pocket and this is a serious matter.

"It was a reckless fraud and it was doomed to fail.

"She was in serious financial difficulties at the time with ren​t arears and eviction being threatened.

"Her partner Mr Quinn had just died of cancer and she had a funeral to pay costing £4200."

Sheriff Diana McConnell told McGregor that the matter was "serious”.

She added: "These people were frauded out of a considerable sum of money.

"I am told about your financial situation but I wonder what financial situation the Harris family are in since you frauded them of the considerable sum."

McGregor was ordered to undertake 270 of unpaid work and tagged for 162 days, keeping her indoors between 7pm and 7am.

She was also placed under supervision for two years.