Trusted associate of drug kingpin Jamie Stevenson involved in scam

Paul Bowes preyed on firms including a sweet company affected after its owner fell ill.

The 53-year-old then fled to Spain during the nationwide fraud probe.

While on the run, Bowes was a key member of the huge drugs ring headed by crime boss Stevenson.

He was locked up for six years in October this year for his involvement after being hauled back from Spain.

Bowes has now admitted to a number of fraud charges after his latest appearance in the dock - this time at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Matthew Jackson KC sentenced Bowes to 18 months from today's date which will not conflict with his October 2027 release date for the High Court matter.

The sheriff said: "Events in your life have caught up with you.

"These are serious offences and they are not of some vintage.

"I accept that your remorse is genuine and sincere and that you are sorry that you have become involved in the way you did.

"You realise that you are a certain age and you have a sentence hanging over you."

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The sentencing was earlier told, Bowes had served 260 days on remand for the Sheriff Court offence.

His lawyer Bob Mitchell stated that his client's former solicitors believed that the Sheriff Court offence would be dropped if he pled guilty to the High Court matter.

Mr Mitchell said: "Mr Bowes had no control over the resolution of the (High Court) matter and it all hinged on the principle accused (Stevenson) who was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

"On (Stevenson) offering a plea, the case immediately resolved for everyone.

"His former lawyers thought their position had been compromised as the depute dealing with the Sheriff Court case did not want to deal with this other than to prosecute it which was unfortunate for him."

The court previously heard of a confectionery company called Kelties Scotland Limited, which had been set up by Anthony Wright.

But, Mr Wright fell seriously ill in 2015 and his daughter Leeanne Boyle initially took over the running.

However, she was eventually forced to close the firm.

Fiscal Danielle McGuinness said: "She was put in contact with a male called Paul, who stated he would continue the business, organise and pay any outstanding debts."

This individual was Bowes. Miss Boyle went on to meet him and she handed over all relevant paperwork including for the company van.

Bowes said he would update Companies House with the changes.

The court heard a Robert Stewart was then listed as a director of the firm with the address also changed.

Weeks later, Bowes then pretended to be this person to buy a Volkswagen Touareg at an Arnold Clark branch in Glasgow's Dalmarnock.

He handed over a driving licence in that name along with £1,000 deposit.

Months later, Bowes went back to the same Arnold Clark this time claiming he was called James Bostridge and ran a firm called AMA Engineering Consultants Ltd.

He again provided a fake licence to help buy a Ford Transit van.

In June 2016, Bowes was back again to drive away with a Volkswagen Golf using the same scam.

The court heard Bowes also used the James Bostridge identity to lease a unit at an industrial estate in Larkhall in Lanarkshire.

But, after taking it over, Bowes failed to keep up rent payments.

The owner could not trace him. Entry was forced to the unit and it was found to contain pallets of biscuits, bedding and curtains.

Bowes finally got in touch and was said to be "angry" at it being opened. Bowes was told the lease was being ended.

Bowes then posed as Bostridge again to con an office supplies firm.

They were duped into making a £10,000 payment into a bank account that they believed was for a legitimate business.

Bowes later became prime suspect during a police probe into frauds involving bogus companies.

His home was raided in June 2016. The Ford Transit he had earlier got his hands on was in the driveway.

However, at that time, there were "no markers" against this vehicle to alert police.

Documentation for Kelties, Arnold Clark and James Bostridge was seized.

Moves were then made to charge Bowes after the investigation was complete in 2018.

However, it emerged he had gone AWOL.

In June 2021, detectives were able to get hold of him by mobile phone.

But, he then flew from England to Majorca soon after.

It was in February 2022 that a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with the Stevenson case.

Three months later, he was arrested in Barcelona before being hauled back to Scotland.

The court heard the real Robert Stewart and James Bostridge had each previously lost their driving licences.

They had no connection to any of the firms involved in the crimes.

Miss McGuinness said there had been a £79,000 loss of income from the hire purchase agreements for the vehicles.

The vehicles involved have all been recovered.

Stevenson and his five associates were jailed for a total of 49 years at the High Court in Glasgow in October.

Stevenson - sentenced to 20 years - had headed the £100m cocaine-in-banana boxes plot.

Bowes was a central figure in a separate street Valium factor based in Kent.