A Highland pensioner has gone on trial accused of conning her businessman brother out of more than £35,000 to help her daughter rise to Hollywood stardom.
Ann Dunlop, 67, denies obtaining £35,368 by fraud from David Bunton as well as other family members between March and December 2016.
It’s alleged that Ms Dunlop, of Beauly, told her relative that his niece Heather was being lined up for big acting roles and was mingling with A-list celebrities – including Leonardo Di Caprio, Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Mr Bunton told Glasgow Sheriff Court that he handed over the cash to help her make the breakthrough.
The 51-year-old also allegedly bailed out his financially “struggling” sister, the court has heard.
But he claimed he became suspicious after a Chanel advert that Heather said she was starring in did not appear.
‘Meeting Beyoncé and Jay Z’
Mr Bunton, who’s the chief executive of a life science company, said he had been supportive of Heather’s acting ambitions.
She had attended a prestigious London music college and appeared as an extra in BBC period drama Garrow’s Law.
Mr Bunton said that he had sold a business around the time Heather and Ann first approached him for £5,000 in March 2016.
The explanation apparently given by Ann was the money was to go to “supporting Heather” and “build her career”.
The witness said: “I was told she was offered a [music] contract with Sony. We were later told that she was offered a better contract with more money.
“There was talk about meeting Beyoncé and Jay Z…about movies with Quentin Tarantino and Michael Keaton.
“She had dinner, which she attended with her agent and went to the Oscars to make various connections.”
Mr Bunton added that he was told Heather was also lined up for a role with the show Wicked.
There were also allegedly claims that American entertainment executive Irving Azoff had offered a better contract than Sony.
Mr Bunton told the court: “Azoff was her manager, she met Leonardo Di Caprio and she was working on promotional activity for Chanel which would go alongside her movies”.
He said that he was unaware of the figure Heather was to receive but believed it was millions.
A top Hollywood director had also taken her “under his wing”.
There were other claims Heather was allegedly to appear in a Cohen Brothers film, but that it was postponed.
The witness explained: “Ann was upset…her husband Billy was more distressed”.
Mr Bunton said he handed over a further £27,000 to help Heather as well as his apparently “struggling” sister and brother-in-law.
Prosecutor Redmond Harris asked about any repayment.
Mr Bunton replied: “It was promised…this was made clear by phone calls and texts”.
He added that he also covered Heather’s unpaid council tax and footed the cost of Ann and Billy’s gas bill.
Mr Bunton claimed he was told there was a banking issue with any money Heather was due.
‘I did not really get a convincing explanation’
He stated his suspicions were raised when a Chanel advert that Heather claimed to be in did not appear around Christmas 2016.
He then met Ann in early 2017 at a London pub as he “had concerns about the situation.”
Mr Bunton said: “I did not really get a convincing explanation. We left on good terms but I left more worried and confused.”
The witness stated that communication with Ann eventually stopped and his last contact with Heather was Christmas 2016.
Recalling visiting Ann at her then home in Glasgow’s Hyndland, he said his sister blamed another relative for “stirring things up”.
He said he was also handed a bank letter, which he knew was fake.
Mr Bunton said: “I was so conflicted not to challenge them on it and say, ‘you are lying’. I was so upset they were doing that”.
He told the trial that the family has broken apart and he has still not received the £33,800 back which he is said to have handed over.
Mr Harris asked: “What do you know about Heather’s acting career?”
Mr Bunton responded: “From internet searching, there was no career to my knowledge”.
The summary trial, without a jury, continues next month before Sheriff Kevin McCarron.
Ann Dunlop is ordained to appear meantime.
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