Conman farmer convicted of depriving victims of €177,000

A CONMAN who effectively laughed at his victims when he named one of his companies Pear Shaped Resources has been convicted of depriving them of €177,000.

A jury took just 62 minutes at the end of a five-day trial to convict Thomas Elvin — a small farmer with 17 acres and 20 cows — of all 26 charges against him.

Elvin, aged 50, whose Pear Shaped Resources was based in the British Virgin Islands, claimed at Donegal Circuit Court he was a penniless bible-believer who wanted to raise millions for benevolent causes.