Taxi driver remanded in custody after admitting £11k cheque fraud against father

Magistrates commit 46-year-old to higher court, citing seriousness of offences

A 46-year-old taxi driver has been remanded in custody after admitting nine counts of fraud by false representation involving more than £11,000 taken from his father’s bank account.

Martin Moore, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court to offences committed between November 2025 and January 2026.

The court heard that Moore wrote a series of fraudulent cheques in his father’s name, totalling £11,103, in amounts ranging from £250 to £2,000.

Prosecutors told the court that Moore’s father had sole access to the account.

Moore was arrested by police at the Sea Terminal in Douglas. In a statement to officers, he said his taxi business had “dipped significantly” and that he had been “desperate”.

The court heard Moore had previously borrowed £10,000 from his father and had been repaying it in instalments. He admitted using a cheque he had received from his father to trace the signature, which he then applied to further cheques before cashing them using a mobile banking application.

In his police interview, Moore described his actions as "foolish and shameful" and said he felt embarrassed about his financial situation. He insisted his conduct stemmed from "opportunism, not malice".

The prosecution asked magistrates to commit the case to the Court of General Gaol Delivery, noting that the Magistrates’ Court can only order compensation of up to £5,000.

Magistrates agreed, describing the offences as “so serious” that greater sentencing powers were required.

There was no application for bail, and Moore was remanded in custody until his next appearance on 20 February.