Ex-Shropshire financial advisor's relief over £14m fraud trial verdict
A former Shropshire financial advisor has spoken of his relief after being cleared of 34 offences of false representation and deception linked to an estimated £14 million fraud.
Simon Drew, 49, had denied any wrong-doing while working as a consultant for Inspire GLG Ltd – an animated film company run by Shropshire businessman, David Griffiths.
A jury at Birmingham Crown Court found 50-year-old Griffiths guilty of four of the charges following a 16-week trial.
He was cleared of 27 of the charges and the jury was unable to reach verdicts on three of alleged offences.
The prosecution is to consider whether to apply for the three charges to lie on file or to seek a re-trial. In the cases of both men 10 of the not guilty verdicts were returned by the jury on the direction of Judge Henderson following earlier legal submissions by defence counsel.
At court Judge Roderick Henderson adjourned sentence on Griffiths for reports until next month and warned him that he was likely to have to serve a prison sentence.
Griffiths, of New Road, Oreton, near Cleobury Mortimer, was allowed bail and told he must surrender his passport and not apply for any travel documents
Earlier, Drew, formerly of Larches Lane, Oreton, and now living in Rye, West Sussex, had walked free from court after the jury returned 34 unanimous not guilty verdicts.
In a statement to the Shropshire Star, he said: "This has been an incredibly difficult and emotionally draining experience. During the build up to the case I had to deal with a lot of vicious gossip and unfounded assumptions, I am very happy to say that after four long months in court, the evidence has now shown without doubt, that I am innocent. I am very grateful to the jury for their dedicated hard work and focus during this trial, and to my legal team, Pat Harrington QC, Shawn Williams and Jacintha Hodgson. In amongst the chaos this has brought to my life, I have received a great deal of support from friends and family which has helped to get me through this ordeal and now look forward to moving on with my life."
The prosecution had claimed that both men were involved in fraud and deception involving investors said to have been duped into putting money into Bewdley-based Inspire GLG Ltd to make animated children's TV programmes, such as Boblins, Oddjobbers and Monster School.
Finance ws alleged to have been induced by either false representation or deception over a five year period between 2004 and 2009.
