NewsWhore
05-02-2012, 03:30 PM
Michael Brown, one of Britain's most wanted confidence tricksters, who donated ?2.4m to the Liberal party, was told by Justice Alistair McCreath at Southwark Crown Court he would begin serving his sentence immediately.
He was found guilty in his absence in 2008 for theft, furnishing false information and perverting the course of justice after being accused of perpetrating a ?36m fraud. Months before his conviction, he had disappeared to the Dominican Republic.
Brown, 46, spoke only to confirm his name. With short graying hair and a goatee, he appeared considerably thinner than before his disappearance.
The high court was later told that Brown's company was wholly fraudulent and that the money was given to the Liberal Democrats only so that he could convince his victims that he was a legitimate, well-connected businessman. One of his victims was Martin Edwards, the former Manchester United chairman, who handed over ?10m.
After changing his name and appearance, Brown went on the run from his Hampstead home in July 2008. The Telegraph disclosed last year that he was hiding in the exclusive resort of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, where he was still posing as a businessman and defrauding investors.
Under the name of Darren Nally, he was living in Punta Cana with his dog Charlie n named after former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy.
Brown was arrested in January after failing to pay a bill in Punta Cana and spent weeks in a Dominican jail. Sources said that Brown asked the Dominican authorities to deport him after fearing for his safety. He was then flown to Spain. Brown flew into Britain on Monday, accompanied by two City of London detectives. He was said to be pleased to have returned to the UK.
Brown was expecting to be sentenced separately by the court for failing to surrender to custody. Eleanor Sanderson, defending, expressed concern about the terms of the European arrest warrant that was used to bring him back. Judge McCreath ordered Brown to return on May 21 to resolve the matter.
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/01/lib-dem-donor-michael-brown-jail?newsfeed=true (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/01/lib-dem-donor-michael-brown-jail?newsfeed=true)
www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/476ee252-939e-11e1-8c6f-00144feab49a.html#axzz1tdgPcuNJ (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/476ee252-939e-11e1-8c6f-00144feab49a.html#axzz1tdgPcuNJ)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)
He was found guilty in his absence in 2008 for theft, furnishing false information and perverting the course of justice after being accused of perpetrating a ?36m fraud. Months before his conviction, he had disappeared to the Dominican Republic.
Brown, 46, spoke only to confirm his name. With short graying hair and a goatee, he appeared considerably thinner than before his disappearance.
The high court was later told that Brown's company was wholly fraudulent and that the money was given to the Liberal Democrats only so that he could convince his victims that he was a legitimate, well-connected businessman. One of his victims was Martin Edwards, the former Manchester United chairman, who handed over ?10m.
After changing his name and appearance, Brown went on the run from his Hampstead home in July 2008. The Telegraph disclosed last year that he was hiding in the exclusive resort of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, where he was still posing as a businessman and defrauding investors.
Under the name of Darren Nally, he was living in Punta Cana with his dog Charlie n named after former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy.
Brown was arrested in January after failing to pay a bill in Punta Cana and spent weeks in a Dominican jail. Sources said that Brown asked the Dominican authorities to deport him after fearing for his safety. He was then flown to Spain. Brown flew into Britain on Monday, accompanied by two City of London detectives. He was said to be pleased to have returned to the UK.
Brown was expecting to be sentenced separately by the court for failing to surrender to custody. Eleanor Sanderson, defending, expressed concern about the terms of the European arrest warrant that was used to bring him back. Judge McCreath ordered Brown to return on May 21 to resolve the matter.
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/01/lib-dem-donor-michael-brown-jail?newsfeed=true (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/01/lib-dem-donor-michael-brown-jail?newsfeed=true)
www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/476ee252-939e-11e1-8c6f-00144feab49a.html#axzz1tdgPcuNJ (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/476ee252-939e-11e1-8c6f-00144feab49a.html#axzz1tdgPcuNJ)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)