Conman convicted of selling fake bomb detectors

James McCormick, 56, was found guilty at the Old Bailey of three counts of fraud after jurors heard the devices did not work.

McCormick, of Langport, near Taunton, made an estimated £50m from sales of his three models to Iraq, Belgium and even the United Nations for use in Lebanon. He is thought to have made about £37m from sales to Iraq alone.

But, the court heard, the Advanced Selection Equipment devices had no scientific basis and were based on a £13 American novelty golf ball finder.

McCormick was remanded yesterday on conditional bail to be sentenced on May 2.

Some of the detectors were sold for £27,000 each, the court heard. The ADE 651 alone could be sold for as much as 40,000 US dollars, but experts found it “was no better than trying to detect explosives at random”.

The detectors were marketed to the military, police forces and governments using glossy brochures and the internet. Men dressed in military-type fatigues were shown using the detectors to find explosives, drugs, fluids, ivory and people.

Richard Whittam QC, prosecuting, said fantastic claims were made, including that the detectors could find substances from aircraft, under water, under ground and through walls.

They claimed to be able to bypass “all known forms of concealment”, and be able to detect at distance. Items could be pinpointed up to 0.6 miles (1km) underground, up to 3 miles (5km) from the air and 100ft (31m) underwater, it was heard.

Mr Whittam added: “The devices did not work and [McCormick] knew they did not work.

“He had them manufactured so that they could be sold – and despite the fact they did not work, people bought them for a handsome but unwarranted profit.”

McCormick, a former policeman and salesman, said: “I never had any negative results from customers.”