Salesman jailed for £3m Edinburgh University cleaning products scam loses appeal

A salesman who participated in a multi-million-pound fraud against a university has lost an appeal against his seven-year jail sentence.

Aasim Johar colluded with a senior manager at Edinburgh University for more than a decade to perpetrate the financial crime against the institution.

Johar, 54, was found guilty last year of conspiring with Geoff Turnbull, the former assistant director of estates and buildings at the university, to form a fraudulent scheme to obtain goods, hospitality, vouchers, and money between June 28, 2005, and November 23, 2015.

The university was defrauded to the value of £3,338,943 and an attempt was made to obtain a further £136,478 by fraud.

First offender Johar, formerly of Buckinghamshire, had denied the offence but was found guilty of the crime following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The trial judge, Lord Lake, told him: “I consider there is no alternative to a custodial sentence in these circumstances that would be appropriate.”

He said Johar engaged in “a substantial and sustained fraud”.

During the scam, goods were ordered and paid for even though they were not required and, on some occasions, were not delivered. Johar received an 8% commission on escalating sales with the university.

Turnbull, now deceased, formerly of North Berwick, received gifts, vouchers and hospitality.

Prosecutor Erin Campbell told the court that the pair had taken part in a procurement fraud with Turnbull ordering increasing amounts of cleaning products and other items from Kent-based Universal Solutions (International).

She said: “The evidence suggests many of the goods were never delivered and those that were were not required by the university.”

The advocate depute said Turnbull and Johar were “lining their own pockets” under the pretence of a legitimate business relationship.

Following his conviction and sentence lawyers acting for Johar appealed against the jail term imposed on him, pointing out his absence of previous convictions, his low risk of reoffending and the time it took to bring the case to court.

Defence counsel Shelagh McCall KC told the Court of Criminal Appeal that the planning and setting up of the fraudulent scheme was “not at the hands of the appellant” and he was not the principal beneficiary.

But Lord Beckett, who heard the appeal with Lord Matthews, said: “The sentence imposed was not excessive.

“There has been no miscarriage of justice and the appeal is refused.”