BARRISTERS for four men accused of being part of a plot to defraud a council have described the case against them as “contradictory”, “unconvincing” and “full of holes”.

The scathing remarks were made during closing speeches by defence lawyers yesterday in a trial at Teesside Crown Court which has lasted for more than four weeks.

Michael Skirving, the former asbestos manager at Darlington Borough Council, is alleged to have masterminded an elaborate plot which defrauded the authority of £100,000.

The 50-year-old married man is said to have been behind two scams which resulted in the council being billed for bogus machine hire and labour costs for work which was never done.

But his barrister, Paul Cleasby, branded the investigation by the council and Durham Police as unfair and “blinkered”, and said he was targeted for being successful and popular.

“It seems to have been an allout effort to get Mr Skirving,” Mr Cleasby told the jury of eight women and four men. “It reminds me of the Seventies film Get Carter – Get Skirving.”

Mr Skirving is said to have persuaded James Burns, 43, to invoice his authority for hiring cherry-pickers for use on regeneration projects on the Owton Manor estate in Hartlepool.

He is also alleged to have encouraged long-time friend and builder Martin Dougherty, 45, to bill the council for labour for other projects in Hartlepool, Billingham and Middlesbrough.

A fourth man, alcoholic Graeme Storey, 38, is alleged to have been recruited by Mr Skirving in a pub to try to cover up the con by telling police he was one of the workers.

His barrister, Annalise Haugstad, said the case against him “fundamentally fails” because witnesses had seen him on site, and said there was no evidence of a cover or benefit.

Dan Cordey, for Mr Dougherty, said he was telling “the pure, unvarnished truth” that he had not collaborated with Mr Skirving and trusted his friend when they struck a deal.

He reminded the jury of a raft of references – including one from a retired police officer – which described the married father as honest, hard-working, diligent and respectable.

Mr Burns’ barrister, Robin Denny, accused the prosecution of “absurdly changing direction”

when evidence was given that cherry-pickers were seen on sites from time to time.

The jury has heard that nearly £33,500 had been paid out by the council for cherry-picker hire, and invoices totalling a £75,754 were submitted by Mr Dougherty’s roofing firm.

Mr Cleasby said the portrayal of Mr Skirving as “some type of dodgy character” was unfair, and described the prosecution case as contradictory, unconvincing and with holes all over.

Mr Storey, of Hart Lane, Hartlepool, denied doing an act tending or intending to pervert the course of justice in May last year by lying about working on the sites in 2008.

Mr Skirving, of Grange Road, Mr Dougherty, of Westbrooke Avenue, and Mr Burns, of Wansbeck Gardens, all Hartlepool, deny charges of conspiracy to defraud over two years.