Shrewsbury man admits fraudulent trading through building company in London
A Shrewsbury man accused of trading fraudulently through a building company has pleaded guilty to four of the seven charges against him.
But Richard Nicholls, of Hotspur Street in Shrewsbury, will have to wait until next summer to find out his fate for the offences, which go back to 2016. He will not be sentenced until a co-defendant's trial is over.
The case has been brought by Southwark Council in London and Nicholls appeared at Inner London Crown Court to enter his guilty pleas to the allegations earlier this month.
His co-defendant Glen Charles, of Scylla Road, Southwark, south-east London, had already pleaded not guilty to the one charge against him and his trial is set for June next year at the court building in Elephant and Castle, south London.
Nicholls faced two charges of fraud concerning building work to a house in Finsbury Park, north London, under the name of GMD Construction Ltd; two of fraudulent trading relating to Active East Ltd; two of fraudulent trading relating to Side & Rear London Builders Ltd (SRBL Ltd); and one offence of participating in fraudulent business in respect of Side & Rear.
He pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by falsely representing the work would be carried out to a professional standard by GMD Construction; to one count of fraudulent trading relating to Active East; to participating in a fraudulent business concerning Side & Rear; and to another charge of fraudulent trading relating to that same company.
Prosecutor Richard Heller told Judge Vanessa Baraitser that Nicholls' pleas were accepted by the prosecution and he had entered pleas 'on a full facts basis'.
The allegations in two not guilty counts would be "subsumed" by other charges he had admitted, Mr Heller said.
The court heard that Nicholls would be sentenced after the conclusion of his co-defendant's trial, listed for June next year and expected to last about ten days.
The co-accused Glen Charles denies one offence of fraudulent trading as KG Enterprises Ltd.
At an earlier hearing the judge was told that it was a complex case and the prosecution case summary ran to 30 pages.
Nicholls, who is represented by defence barrister Michael Duck QC, and Charles, both first appeared in court in February.
Both men are on unconditional bail.
