Leila Gaskin and Ben Rowe secure acquittal in fraud conspiracy retrial.

Leila Gaskin, leading Ben Rowe, appeared for a London-based businessman who was the first of three defendants accused of defrauding a large number of people in a property investment scheme. This was a retrial following the intervention of the Court of Appeal and a transfer from Snaresbrook Crown Court.

The Crown’s case was that the Property Bond offered by the defendants was fraudulent from the outset and that it had always been intended to relieve victims, particularly retired people, from their savings without any hope of a return. From the outset, Leila and Ben’s client agreed with the prosecution that a large fraud had taken place; he just maintained that he was not a part of it.

Following a six week trial, the defence was able to demonstrate the significant steps and due diligence undertaken by the defendants when setting up their company (including the retention of high profile lawyers and very experienced corporate finance advisers). A further key part of the defence was that the defendant’s position was that he had sold the company before the fraudulent activity took place.

Following jury deliberations all three defendants were unanimously found to be not guilty.

Leila and Ben are part of Crucible’s Financial Crime Team. They were instructed by Steven Bird of Hodge, Jones and Allen Solicitors.

A further article about Leila Gaskin’s success in the Court of Appeal, leading to this retrial, will be published on Wednesday.