Falkirk court hears wife forged husband's signature to remortgage house for £35,000

Deborah McIntyre, 47, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to obtaining £35,000 by forging her husband’s signature on a loan application involving a property at 92 Abbotsgrange Road, Grangemouth between April 2 and April 3, 2019.

The court heard there was no doubt McIntyre had forged her husband’s signature on the documents in question – but she had claimed from the very start of proceedings he had given her the go ahead to do it.

Procurator fiscal depute Robbie McDougall said: “The witness had been in a relationship with the accused. They separated in February 2020, having been married for 13 years.”

McIntyre’s husband learned the property in Abbotsgrange Road, Grangemouth had been remortgaged for £35,000 and both his wife and he had signed the documents to make it happen.

However, the husband was away working in the USA at the time.

When police were contacted, McIntyre stated she would tell them her side of the story.

Mr McDougall said: "When asked if she had signed her husband’s name, she said ‘that’s right, I did sign on his behalf, but he knew about it – I was in a lot of debt and he said it was alright for me to do it’.

"She added ‘I signed his signature, that’s correct – but with his okay’. The complainer’s position is he knew nothing about it.”

Murray Aitken, defence solicitor, said McIntyre’s position “from day one” was that her husband knew about it and had given her the go ahead.

Sheriff Craig Harris noted that forging someone’s signature was a crime in any case – whether the person knew about it or not. However, sentencing would change drastically if it was proved the husband did give his consent to do it.

Sheriff Harris added: “This is a natural matter of fact that’s not in agreement.”

He deferred sentence on McIntyre, 4 Canavan Court, Falkirk, until July 25 to fix a proof in mitigation to get to the bottom of whether or not the husband gave his consent.