A Glasgow pensioner who lost £10,000 in a wind turbine scam has demanded justice.
He has joined forces with victims from across the UK bidding to claw back their cash after a business run by Glasgow green energy expert Dr Paul Dougan was found to have swindled £4million from investors.
He was given a 14-year director ban when investigators from the UK Insolvency Service slammed the "appalling scam" after finding investor cash was used to fund properties and not wind farm projects, the Daily Record reports.
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Now more than 100 victims have set up a fighting fund to cover legal costs, claiming lives have been wrecked.
The 77-year-old victim explained: "The immediate reaction from the public is, 'How could you all fall for this scam?'
"I have a residual hope we can get some form of justice but I have resigned myself to the loss of my money. These people deserve the full force of the law."
The group was set up by Tony Clark from Essex, who put £20,000 into what he believed was a wind farm project before discovering there was no planning permission.
He said: "It's all about justice now."
Another investor from Aberdeenshire handed over £10,000 and was pressured to invest more. The 62-year-old said: "The literature they had about the wind arm company was very good. It all looked so legit.
"They kept wanting more and more money but I was dubious. My husband wanted to put in more but I knew in my heart there was something not right.
"I then saw something on Facebook which said it was a scam."
The couple have now paid more cash to the £40,000 fighting fund.
She added: "Honest people have been screwed out of their money. I don't think we'll ever see our money back again but we will keep trying."
Investors were "misled" into putting cash into a wind turbine scheme before Dougan's firm went bust owing £4.3million.
Geoscientist Dougan, who the Record later traced to Lambhill, claimed he was not to blame and on benefits.
The former Glasgow Caledonian University lecturer, 54, who drives a Mercedes 4x4, claimed he was a "stupid person who trusted other people" and was appealing his ban.
The UK's Insolvency Service said Dougan caused his firm DCR (Series 2) to fail to provide services or to safeguard investor cash.
The firm used the cash from investors - who were told it would fund Scots wind turbine projects - for property developments.
Funds given to DCR were sent to the bank account of its parent firm. A large proportion was spent on property or other firms.
Investors were told their cash was government protected and insured.
Dougan faced 147 charges in Northern Ireland but prosecutors withdrew the case to carry out further investigation.
Last night, Dougan said: "I never sold an investment to a single investor.
"Prior to our company account being frozen in 2017, we refunded 100 per cent of investors their full investment to those who requested it.
"I welcome the opportunity for my representatives to meet with investors to negotiate a solution and assist them in devising a workable strategy to achieve the full return."
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