Lapland New Forest Scam. How to get money back...

whitewing

From yesterday's Daily Echo:

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/8870336.As_much_as___150_000__missing__after_Lapland_fiasco/

Accountancy firm Grant Thornton, which has now taken control of Lapland New Forest’s assets as it tries to liquidate it and pay off some of its debts, said a statement to creditors on the company’s position is likely to be published within weeks.
It added it is bringing a legal claim the brothers illegally siphoned off cash before it went into liquidation.

whitewing

And a little more detail in today's paper:

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8879503.Cash_hope_for_Lapland_New_Forest_visitors/

"PEOPLE who were left out of pocket by the Lapland fiasco have been offered a glimmer of hope that they may get some money back."

Yes, it would be good if there were to be some more refunds even now. Even the prospect of it has cheered me up.

steve999uk

BBC reports that the Mears brothers have been sentenced to 13 months each & the judge is expected to take additional evidence before making a order on costs.

Can't post a link, site still deems me to be a new user.

Steve

omen666

Brothers Jailed Over 'Lapland' Park Rip-Off
David Connolly, Sky News Online


Two brothers who misled thousands of customers visiting what they claimed was a Lapland-style theme park have been jailed for 13 months each.




Visitors were promised polar bears, husky dogs and other animals

Victor and Henry Mears offered visitors a winter wonderland with snow-covered log cabins, a nativity scene, husky dogs, polar bears and other animals, as well as a bustling Christmas market at the Lapland New Forest attraction.
But instead they experienced little more than fairy lights hung from trees and a broken ice rink.
Dorset Trading Standards prosecuted the Mears under consumer protection laws after hundreds of disgruntled visitors complained.





Victor and Henry Mears claimed they had done nothing wrong
Prosecutor Malcolm Gibney said: "The only feeling of 'Wow' that many of the consumers felt was 'Wow, what a con'."
With visitors charged £30 a ticket and up to 10,000 advance bookings online, the Mears brothers were set to gross £1.2m.
But within a week of its opening in November 2008 it closed amid negative media coverage.
Victor, of Selsfield Drive, and Henry, of Coombe Road, both Brighton, denied eight charges of misleading advertising but they were found guilty in February on all counts at Bristol Crown Court.
However, both men denied they had done anything wrong.




Lapland New Forest attracted hundreds of complaints
Victor Mears, who has previous convictions for obtaining money transfer by deception, VAT evasion and conspiracy to defraud, admitted he took a "bit of a gamble" in setting up Lapland New Forest without investing any money.
But he told the court: "I showed due diligence. I did everything I could to account for everything."
Henry Mears told jurors the attraction was everything they promised customers
it would be.
"Whatever you do, you will find the public complain about something," he said.

whitewing

I like this bit in The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8390634/Lapland-con-brothers-jailed.html
"A hearing to decide the amount the brothers would pay towards the costs of bringing the trial - said by the prosecution to be over £100,0000 - would be held at a later date."

Think we'd better keep the thread open a bit longer.

Well done.

steve999uk

From the BBC News England page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14121941

Lapland park man found guilty of threatening barrister
Steve

pogofish

Out already - The pair of them!

Just beggars belief. :mad:

davidlizard

It gets even better - they have had their convictions overturned because some stupid bint in the jury kept texting her mates about the case.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15466689

Other sources say they could be looking at in excess of £1M each in compensation for wrongful conviction.

Bristol Crown Court is where the Tabak/Yeates case is being heard. I hope they have tightened up their procedures somewhat.