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South Wales coal mines fraud prosecution: Six at court

30 January, 2013 | News Releases

Six persons have today attended Westminster Magistrates’ Court for first appearance charged with conspiracy to defraud in relation to the sale of four open-cast mining sites in South Wales.

Five were charged at Cardiff Bay police station on 24 January.  (This was announced by the SFO on that date).  Those five persons are:

  • Eric Evans (age 67) of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
  • Alan Whiteley (age 48) of Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan
  • Frances Bodman (age 30) of Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan
  • Richard Walters (age 32) of Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan
  • Leighton Humphreys (age 38) of Cardiff, South Glamorgan

  A sixth person was requisitioned to appear at court today to be charged.  He is:

  • Stephen Davies QC (age 52) of Bristol

Proceedings are to be transferred to Southwark Crown Court provisionally on 5 April 2013.

It is alleged that the defendants conspired to defraud Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Bridgend County Borough Council, Powys County Council and The Coal Authority by deliberately prejudicing their ability effectively to enforce obligations to restore open cast mining sites in South Wales to open countryside and/or for agricultural use.  The sites were operated by Celtic Energy Limited of Caerphilly.

Notes for editors:

  1. Previous press release relating to this case was issued on the 24 January 2013.

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