A police officer accepted a £5,000 lockdown grant for losing out on gigs as an Elvis impersonator.
Despite keeping his full time job, Stuart Maclennan took advantage of financial support being offered to wedding businesses impacted by Covid-19.
His Fresh Entertainments company received the cash last year but still broke pandemic restrictions by performing as Elvis at a 21st birthday party, the Daily Record revealed at the time.
Footage of Maclennan singing The Wonder Of You in a white jumpsuit, wig and shades at the house party in June 2020, saw him reprimanded for breaking a series of Covid-19 safety rules.
Another snap showed him taking selfies next to a hot tub with eight guests in swimsuits drinking beer.
Public records on the Scottish Enterprise website reveal Fresh Entertainments received £5000 from a £25million emergency Covid fund.
A source said: “These loans were for small businesses seriously struggling as a result of the pandemic.
“I don’t think the intention was to line the pockets of people who already had well-paid full-time jobs in the public sector who were not under any threat.
“It definitely wasn’t supposed to be for people who ignored Covid restrictions and continued to work, so there are questions to be answered.”
Two-metre social distancing was not observed at the party, where Maclennan provided the entertainment.
At the time Scottish Government guidance only permitted three households to meet together.
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The 42-year-old policeman, from Renfrew, also travelled more than twice the allowed distance at the time to attend the party.
Maclennan’s company website has his mobile number listed and names him and two others as members of staff.
He is the sole director of Companies House-registered Subsafe Audio Ltd, a performing arts and manufacturing business.
More than 2,800 businesses received money from the Scottish wedding industry fund. It was provided by the Scottish Government and administered by a partnership of South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
At the time Scottish Enterprise interim CEO Linda Hanna insisted it was for small business people facing losing their livelihood.
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She said: “Many of the businesses we’ve helped are vulnerable SMEs that rely on the wedding sector for their livelihoods and they’ve told us this funding will ease some immediate financial challenges for them.
“The wedding fund is another example of how we and our partners are working to address the immediate economic impact of Covid-19 while preparing to help businesses recover and rebuild.”
People earning incomes from other work were ineligible for the grant.
A source said: “These loans were for small business owners who were in danger of losing their livelihood.
"They were not for people who already had well-paid jobs.”
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