Rogue pie-seller jailed

Shropshire rogue pie-seller Paul Rye transferred £250,000 made through criminal activities into a Canadian bank so he could start a new life abroad, a court heard today.

Self-confessed "compulsive liar" Rye, 47, from Lower Fold, Dorrington, appeared in Shrewsbury Crown Court after admitting 13 fraud charges and asking for 43 offences to be taken into account. He was jailed for five years.

The offences breached a conditional discharge he was given by Shrewsbury magistrates on February 4, 2008, for selling hundreds of pies bought at a factory, falsely claiming they were home-made.

For three offences of obtaining a money transfer by deception, five of fraud, three of transferring criminal property, one of converting criminal property, and one of perverting the course of justice, Rye was sentenced to a total of five years in prison.

He was also made the subject of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order banning him from selling foodstuffs or any other materials to the public door-to-door and ordered to pay £293 costs.

Mr Stephen Bacon, prosecuting, said the charges involved Rye falsely claiming £24,000 in benefit over five years after telling the Department of Work and Pensions he was earning less and working fewer hours than he actually was.

The court heard Rye also transferred thousands of pounds' worth of shares belonging to an 80-year-old man from Shrewsbury into his own name.

He also transferred about £245,000 to a bank in Canada and perverted the course of justice by telling magistrates he had no money to pay a fine after his conviction on 16 charges of breaching trade descriptions and two charges of false trade descriptions.

Mrs Joanne Griffiths, for Rye, said: "He accepts that he is a compulsive liar, he knows at the time he is doing it but he simply cannot help himself."

Judge Robin Onions said: "The background to this case is your compulsive need to make money. I believe, for you, money has been your security blanket."

By Rhea Parsons