A Smith’s man who was caught red-handed trying to draw on a bogus cheque for more than $25,000 faces prison today after admitting a raft of fraud offences.

George Saunders received the NatWest cheque for £18,700 hidden in lining of a DVD that arrived by FedEx.

The 52-year-old put the cheque in a deposit box outside the Church Street HSBC branch on January 15 and returned to the bank nearly two weeks later to try and withdraw money.

He initially successfully withdrew $9,500, but when he tried to take out a further $500 the fraud was uncovered and Saunders was later detained.

Saunders later admitting receiving the bogus cheque and trying to withdraw the cash. He told officers that he planned to send the money he withdrew to the person who sent him the cheque, for which he would be paid $3,500.

Today at Magistrates’ Court Saunders pleaded guilty to four separate charges relating to the fraud.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo ordered pre-sentence reports before releasing Saunders on bail until he is sentenced on June 29. He was also ordered to surrender his travel documents and report to Hamilton Police Station every Wednesday before sentence.

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