Dog rescue charity fraudsters are locked up

Jonathan Rivers, managing director of Wyvern Media, was the head of multi-million pound fraud involving the mis-selling of advertising space to companies across the UK and Europe – among them Birch Hill Dog Rescue Centre.

Birch Hill's co-owner Jutta Patterson died shortly afterwards from cancer, with the trustees of the dog home in part blaming the stress of the ordeal for her decline.

Rivers, 55, of Dingle Lane, Coleshill, Birmingham, admitted one count of fraudulent trading and was given a six-year jail sentence and a 10-year ban on being a director at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday.

Four of his co-directors also received custodial sentences – Andrew Simpson, 44, of Fieldgate Lane, Kenilworth, 38 months with a six-year ban.

Jagjeet Basra, 39, of Dewsbury Avenue, Tyvechale, received a 40 months with a six year ban while Dennis Draper, 44, from Denton Close, Kenilworth, got 20 months with a three-year ban and Matthew Walker, 28, of Avenue Road, Leamington Spa, 16 months with a three-year ban.

Two other directors received suspended sentences and five-year bans on being a director and three staff members received suspended sentences.

Among their victims was Mrs Patterson who ran Birch Hill at Neen Sollars, near Cleobury Mortimer, with husband Terry.

The fraudsters targeted Mrs Patterson for two years from 2011 after first offering her free adverts for being "charity of the year".

Trustee Wendy Watts said Jutta was the hassled with "endless calls" and pressured by aggressive salesmen to pay for adverts, and money was also taken with her permission.

She said the fraud brought the dog rescue centre to the brink of closure, and greatly affected Jutta's health until she died last year.

The investigation was the largest ever led by the National Trading Standards Scambuster Team (East Midlands), which is based at Nottinghamshire County Council.

Lord Toby Harris, chairman of National Trading Standards, said: "This scheme was created with the sole purpose of cheating small businesses out of large sums of money and forced a number of honest businesses – including small charities – to go under.

"I would like to congratulate all involved in bringing these criminals to justice – these sentences send a strong signal that we will not tolerate dishonest practices and are committed to safeguarding honest businesses."