Alasdair
2007-11-29 20:48:23 UTC
DOUBLE LIFE OF THE LAW 'EXPERT'
Be the first reader to comment on this story
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133965&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133948&contentPK=19091288&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch
09:00 - 28 November 2007
Those attending Malcolm Ed- wards-Sayer's law lectures had no idea
their tutor had masterminded a £51m VAT fraud.
They were also unaware he had pocketed nearly £20,000 in compensation
meant for clients of his bogus legal firm.
Edwards-Sayer was a respected man, working part-time as a lay preacher
in the Church of England's Beeston Deanery.
But the double life of Edwards-Sayer came crashing down around him
after his arrest by HM Revenue and Customs officers in March 2004.
A major investigation revealed how the 49-year-old, formerly of Derby
Road, Bramcote, racked up a multi-million pound fortune over 18 months
importing mobile phones and computer chips from other European Union
countries and selling them on in Britain without paying VAT.
Edwards-Sayer was due to be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court today,
having earlier pleaded guilty to eight counts of conspiracy to cheat
the public revenue and money laundering under the Proceeds of Crime
Act.
The court heard how he set up a number of companies in Gibraltar to
launder his illegal fortune.
Rachel Horton, 37, of Friars Crescent, Newark, was given a 150 hour
community punishment order earlier this month after admitting
laundering £1m as part of the same VAT scam.
Edwards-Sayer held law evening classes for adults two hours a week at
South East Derbyshire College's Mundy Street, Heanor, campus between
September 2002 and July 2004.
Linnia Khemdoudi, the college's principal, said: "Mr Edwards-Sayer was
a part-time law lecturer who held the appropriate qualifications and
legal experience to hold classes at the college.
"We are shocked to hear about the revelations that have since come to
light."
Jonathan Smithurst, a former area dean of Beeston for the Church of
England's Southwell and Nottingham Diocese, said: "The initial
reaction to his arrest was one of disbelief.
"Malcolm was well-liked and personable.
"Among churches he preached in were St Peter's at Awsworth; St
Catherine's at Cossall and St Helen's at Trowell.
"He never handled church funds while lay preaching.
"What has happened is all very sad."
Nottingham Crown Court has also heard how Edwards-Sayer raked in more
than £106,000 by fraudulently claiming income support and health
insurance payments while running legal firm The Edwards and
Christiansen Partnership,
Despite not being recognised as a solicitor by the Law Society and his
firm not being registered with them, Edwards-Sayer duped other
solicitors and barristers into joining his practice.
Police found the firm, set up in February 2000, had well over 1,000
client files.
They began investigating Edwards-Sayer in April 2001 on being
contacted by insurance companies dealing with his legal firm. He had
been accepted onto personal injury firm Claims Direct's panel of
solicitors and the Accident Group's panel of solicitors.
The Notts police probe, codenamed Operation Grape, found that
Edwards-Sayer had pocketed a total of £18,065.80 in compensation he
won for seven clients he represented on behalf of Claims Direct.
A total of £12,000 of loan insurance debt to cover the seven clients
if they lost their no-win, no-fee personal injury claims was written
off by First National Bank.
Edwards-Sayer earlier pleaded guilty to obtaining a pecuniary
advantage by pretending to be a qualified solicitor to gain work with
Claims Direct, seven counts of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by
pretending to be a qualified solicitor to clients he represented,
seven counts of theft of client compensation and obtaining a pecuniary
advantage by deceiving health insurance firms and the Benefits Agency.
DC Nikki Iles, of Notts police, said: "Malcolm Edwards-Sayer was an
extremely convincing con artist who preyed on some of the most
vulnerable people in society."
Nick Burriss, director of operations (criminal investigation) for
HMRC, said: "This was not some kind of victimless crime but organised
fraud on a massive scale perpetrated by criminals hell bent on making
fast and easy profits at the expense of the British taxpayer."
***@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk
Life with a £51m conman - don't miss tomorrow's EVENING POST
***************************************************
£51M VAT FRAUDSTER JAILED FOR TEN YEARS
2 readers have commented on this story. Click here to read their
views.
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133965&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133948&contentPK=19111548&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch
09:00 - 29 November 2007
A Lay PREACHER was jailed for ten years today for "facilitating" a
£51m VAT fraud.
Malcolm Edwards-Sayer, 49, (pictured) clocked up his millions in just
18 months - importing mobile phones and computer chips from EU
countries and pocketing the VAT on their resale.
Officers raiding his home in Derby Road, Bramcote, found a £20,000
BMW, £9,000 cash and £7,000 of Krugerrand.
They also found documents concerning negotiations over a £450,000
house in Torquay, Devon, and properties in the South of France and
Paris.
He was sentenced to six-and-a-half years jail for the VAT fraud at
Nottingham Crown Court today, and a further three-and-a-half years
consecutively for a number of other charges.
Be the first reader to comment on this story
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133965&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133948&contentPK=19091288&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch
09:00 - 28 November 2007
Those attending Malcolm Ed- wards-Sayer's law lectures had no idea
their tutor had masterminded a £51m VAT fraud.
They were also unaware he had pocketed nearly £20,000 in compensation
meant for clients of his bogus legal firm.
Edwards-Sayer was a respected man, working part-time as a lay preacher
in the Church of England's Beeston Deanery.
But the double life of Edwards-Sayer came crashing down around him
after his arrest by HM Revenue and Customs officers in March 2004.
A major investigation revealed how the 49-year-old, formerly of Derby
Road, Bramcote, racked up a multi-million pound fortune over 18 months
importing mobile phones and computer chips from other European Union
countries and selling them on in Britain without paying VAT.
Edwards-Sayer was due to be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court today,
having earlier pleaded guilty to eight counts of conspiracy to cheat
the public revenue and money laundering under the Proceeds of Crime
Act.
The court heard how he set up a number of companies in Gibraltar to
launder his illegal fortune.
Rachel Horton, 37, of Friars Crescent, Newark, was given a 150 hour
community punishment order earlier this month after admitting
laundering £1m as part of the same VAT scam.
Edwards-Sayer held law evening classes for adults two hours a week at
South East Derbyshire College's Mundy Street, Heanor, campus between
September 2002 and July 2004.
Linnia Khemdoudi, the college's principal, said: "Mr Edwards-Sayer was
a part-time law lecturer who held the appropriate qualifications and
legal experience to hold classes at the college.
"We are shocked to hear about the revelations that have since come to
light."
Jonathan Smithurst, a former area dean of Beeston for the Church of
England's Southwell and Nottingham Diocese, said: "The initial
reaction to his arrest was one of disbelief.
"Malcolm was well-liked and personable.
"Among churches he preached in were St Peter's at Awsworth; St
Catherine's at Cossall and St Helen's at Trowell.
"He never handled church funds while lay preaching.
"What has happened is all very sad."
Nottingham Crown Court has also heard how Edwards-Sayer raked in more
than £106,000 by fraudulently claiming income support and health
insurance payments while running legal firm The Edwards and
Christiansen Partnership,
Despite not being recognised as a solicitor by the Law Society and his
firm not being registered with them, Edwards-Sayer duped other
solicitors and barristers into joining his practice.
Police found the firm, set up in February 2000, had well over 1,000
client files.
They began investigating Edwards-Sayer in April 2001 on being
contacted by insurance companies dealing with his legal firm. He had
been accepted onto personal injury firm Claims Direct's panel of
solicitors and the Accident Group's panel of solicitors.
The Notts police probe, codenamed Operation Grape, found that
Edwards-Sayer had pocketed a total of £18,065.80 in compensation he
won for seven clients he represented on behalf of Claims Direct.
A total of £12,000 of loan insurance debt to cover the seven clients
if they lost their no-win, no-fee personal injury claims was written
off by First National Bank.
Edwards-Sayer earlier pleaded guilty to obtaining a pecuniary
advantage by pretending to be a qualified solicitor to gain work with
Claims Direct, seven counts of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by
pretending to be a qualified solicitor to clients he represented,
seven counts of theft of client compensation and obtaining a pecuniary
advantage by deceiving health insurance firms and the Benefits Agency.
DC Nikki Iles, of Notts police, said: "Malcolm Edwards-Sayer was an
extremely convincing con artist who preyed on some of the most
vulnerable people in society."
Nick Burriss, director of operations (criminal investigation) for
HMRC, said: "This was not some kind of victimless crime but organised
fraud on a massive scale perpetrated by criminals hell bent on making
fast and easy profits at the expense of the British taxpayer."
***@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk
Life with a £51m conman - don't miss tomorrow's EVENING POST
***************************************************
£51M VAT FRAUDSTER JAILED FOR TEN YEARS
2 readers have commented on this story. Click here to read their
views.
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133965&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133948&contentPK=19111548&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch
09:00 - 29 November 2007
A Lay PREACHER was jailed for ten years today for "facilitating" a
£51m VAT fraud.
Malcolm Edwards-Sayer, 49, (pictured) clocked up his millions in just
18 months - importing mobile phones and computer chips from EU
countries and pocketing the VAT on their resale.
Officers raiding his home in Derby Road, Bramcote, found a £20,000
BMW, £9,000 cash and £7,000 of Krugerrand.
They also found documents concerning negotiations over a £450,000
house in Torquay, Devon, and properties in the South of France and
Paris.
He was sentenced to six-and-a-half years jail for the VAT fraud at
Nottingham Crown Court today, and a further three-and-a-half years
consecutively for a number of other charges.
--
Alasdair.
Alasdair.