This guy who sold the fake bomb detectors...

Arthritic Toe · Apr 23, 2013

What amazes me about this story - he has sold thousands of these thinks that are supposed to be bomb detectors, but are pretty much an empty box with an aerial on top. He's sold them to army's all over the word and made millions of pounds.

Are these defense ministries and armies so gullible that they didn't even test them before buying? I don't get it. If so, they deserve to be ripped off.

Billy the Fish · Apr 23, 2013

Was just about to post the same thing. I know he's essentially a conman, but it's not like he's conning an old lady out of her life savings, these are professional military organisations FFS, you'd think they would test them first.

St Patricks Day · Apr 23, 2013

Maybe he sold them to the Irish?

Superseagull · Apr 23, 2013

The US army tested it by driving a truck with 1 tonne of TNT past it. Needless to say no warning was given. Test complete.

looks like his business model was to bribe officials in tin pot countries to buy his dodgy device.

Cian · Apr 23, 2013

hova said:
Maybe he sold them to the Irish?

P.s Sorry if I've offended and Irish people. Mods please delete if inappropriate, Didn't mean to offend anyone.

No, he didn't.

The Irish military, while tiny, is equipped to an extremely high standard as it happens. A benefit of being able to cherrypick equipment from pretty much every other country and not being constrained to supporting domestic industries (cause beyond Timoney making APCs, we don't really have any military ones)

The only country where the military have bought them en masse seems to be Iraq, a lot of other countries including the US seem to have bought small numbers to test then realised they did absolutely nothing. Iraq not really having the military test establishments, or the anti corruption might required to avoid a bribe as suggested.

St Patricks Day · Apr 23, 2013

MYOB said:
No, he didn't.

The Irish military, while tiny, is equipped to an extremely high standard as it happens. A benefit of being able to cherrypick equipment from pretty much every other country and not being constrained to supporting domestic industries (cause beyond Timoney making APCs, we don't really have any military ones)

The only country where the military have bought them en masse seems to be Iraq, a lot of other countries including the US seem to have bought small numbers to test then realised they did absolutely nothing. Iraq not really having the military test establishments, or the anti corruption might required to avoid a bribe as suggested.

The IRA was only well equipped thanks to Colonel Gaddafi during the 70's. With out mad dog then the IRA probably wouldn't have had the capability to carry out such attacks.

Cheeky Monkey · Apr 23, 2013

And they're STILL using them at Iraqi checkpoints. Unreal.

Everest · Apr 23, 2013

Superseagull said:
The US army tested it by driving a truck with 1 tonne of TNT past it. Needless to say no warning was given. Test complete.

So how many did they buy?

Cian · Apr 24, 2013

hova said:
The IRA was only well equipped thanks to Colonel Gaddafi during the 70's. With out mad dog then the IRA probably wouldn't have had the capability to carry out such attacks.

And US money. But they're not the actual military, clearly.

Tricky Dicky · Apr 24, 2013

An incredible story, unbelievable anyone fell for it, and he made £50m, crazy.

Wozza · Apr 24, 2013

Arthritic Toe said:
If so, they deserve to be ripped off.

It's not just about money, though. Innocent people have been mamed and killed because of the fraud. :-(

Sheebo · Apr 24, 2013

Wozza said:
It's not just about money, though. Innocent people have been mamed and killed because of the fraud. :-(

Quite right. It's a very sick thing to con people on...

Leighgull · Apr 24, 2013

£50 million for some dowsing rods? Guys a sales GENIUS! Some well placed bribes and some gullible senior officers..the USA just dumped a huge heap of cash on the Iraqis and send "spend that as quick as you can" and everyone is surprised when a con man popped up to mske a fast buck.

I wonder whether those checkpoints have uncovered any covert Golf balls?

seagullsovergrimsby · Apr 24, 2013

hova said:
The IRA was only well equipped thanks to Colonel Gaddafi during the 70's. With out mad dog then the IRA probably wouldn't have had the capability to carry out such attacks.

Not everything came from Libya , the US weaponry smuggled in did some damage too.

DavidinSouthampton · Apr 24, 2013

Wozza said:
It's not just about money, though. Innocent people have been mamed and killed because of the fraud. :-(

Precisely - I think he was cynical beyond belief and deserves to get put away for a long, long time.

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 24, 2013

Why on earth would anyone want something which detects fake bombs? Surely detecting real bombs is much more preferable?

Billy the Fish · Apr 24, 2013

Wozza said:
It's not just about money, though. Innocent people have been mamed and killed because of the fraud. :-(

Anyone who is killed or mamed should also be pissed off at the idiots who didn't test to see if they worked.

Barrel of Fun · Aug 20, 2013

Seven years for another fraudster. The chap mentioned in the original post got 10 years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23768203

Tom Hark Preston Park · Aug 20, 2013

Tricky Dicky said:
An incredible story, unbelievable anyone fell for it, and he made £50m, crazy.

Beggars belief really.

Guerrero · Aug 20, 2013

I remember a visual joke about an Irish mine detector.
It entailed covering the eyes with the hands and stamping in front of you as you move forward.

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