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A businessman whose company has been jailed for five years and eight months for running a counterfeiting operation while his business was failing.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that John Farrell, 51, sourced specialist paper and inks and forged hundreds of thousands of pounds of counterfeit money when his IT business got into financial difficulties.
He recruited his son Craig, 23, who used his skills to improve the quality of the fake cash.
The printing enterprise set up in Farrell's IT company in East Kilbride managed to produce counterfeit £10 and £20 Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of Scotland notes, which experts described as of "extremely good" quality.
Strathclyde Police and Serious Organised Crime Agency officers found numerous sheets of paper with front and rear images of the notes on them. They also found a considerable quantity of Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of Scotland £10 notes at various stages of completion. The court heard that they were able to print between 15 and 25 £20 notes an hour at the premises.
John Farrell's lawyer said said that his client: "Feels shame and embarrassment at what he has brought on his family. It will adversely affect his his wife and daughter and his sons."
Jailing Farrell, judge Lord Turnbull told him that he had used his intelligence to build up a successful business and an affluent lifestyle. But added: "You then chose to put your business skills to criminal use. It is clear considerable research and application would have be needed to initiate this exercise."
Craig Farrell was jailed for two years and nine months. His brother Paul Farrell, 20, and employee Gordon Grainger, 20, who passed off counterfeit cash as genuine in shops were each ordered to perform 300 hours community service.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that John Farrell, 51, sourced specialist paper and inks and forged hundreds of thousands of pounds of counterfeit money when his IT business got into financial difficulties.
He recruited his son Craig, 23, who used his skills to improve the quality of the fake cash.
The printing enterprise set up in Farrell's IT company in East Kilbride managed to produce counterfeit £10 and £20 Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of Scotland notes, which experts described as of "extremely good" quality.
Strathclyde Police and Serious Organised Crime Agency officers found numerous sheets of paper with front and rear images of the notes on them. They also found a considerable quantity of Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of Scotland £10 notes at various stages of completion. The court heard that they were able to print between 15 and 25 £20 notes an hour at the premises.
John Farrell's lawyer said said that his client: "Feels shame and embarrassment at what he has brought on his family. It will adversely affect his his wife and daughter and his sons."
Jailing Farrell, judge Lord Turnbull told him that he had used his intelligence to build up a successful business and an affluent lifestyle. But added: "You then chose to put your business skills to criminal use. It is clear considerable research and application would have be needed to initiate this exercise."
Craig Farrell was jailed for two years and nine months. His brother Paul Farrell, 20, and employee Gordon Grainger, 20, who passed off counterfeit cash as genuine in shops were each ordered to perform 300 hours community service.
