Andrew Mark Peters and Darren Anthony McNicholas were sentenced after pleading guilty to charges of cheating Scottish national Ian Strachen on May 21, 2019 and June 27, 2019.

The charges were framed under Section 417 of the Penal Code.

Judge Rozilah Salleh also meted out fines of RM180,000 to Peters and RM140,000 to McNicholas.

The duo will face further jail terms of between six months and one year, respectively, if they fail to pay the fines.

Peters’ and McNicholas’ jail sentences were ordered to run from their date of arrest, Feb 21.

According to the facts of their case, the duo was involved in a fraudulent online syndicate.

On May 21, 2019 they instructed David Henshaw, an employee of their company, to contact Strachen and promote a purported investment into a company, Novocure Limited.

Strachen transferred US$5,672.41 (RM25,525.85) to the duo to purchase 125 shares in the company.

Shortly after that, on June 27, 2019, another employee, Henry Paxton, also contacted Strachen to promote another investment into a company known as Lithion Power Corp.

Promised a high return, the Scotsman sought to purchase 100,000 units of shares in that company by paying Peters and McNicholas €121,200 (RM579,336).

Earlier today, the duo’s lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali urged the court to impose a minimum sentence against them.

He said Peters, who has special needs, requires medical care.

“Both of them gave their full cooperation to the MACC during the investigations,” said Rafique, who appeared together with Fahmi Moin.

Deputy public prosecutors Fadhly Zamry and Ahmad Akram Gharib called on the court to impose a deterrent sentence against the duo.