Press News
Businessman Phil Barker in £30m fraud case
10:30am Friday 10th February 2012
AN entrepreneur who helped two popular York pubs and a hotel out of administration is due in court in connection with a fraud worth more than £30 million.
Phil Barker is one of eight men facing charges following an investigation by economic crime experts at Thames Valley Police.
The 44-year-old is listed with Companies House as a former director of Inn Focus, which bought three York businesses in 2010: The Guy Fawkes Inn and The Lamb & Lion in High Petergate, and Marmadukes in St Peter’s Grove, though none of those businesses is involved in the fraud allegations.
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said its investigation centred on an allegation of fraud made by the Royal Bank of Scotland and other lenders, claiming loans to the value of over £30 million were fraudulently obtained.
The spokesman said the eight appeared at Slough Magistrates’ Court in November and had been bailed to appear at Reading Crown Court on March 1.
He said: “The men face a variety of charges of conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, conspiracy to commit corruption and conspiracy to commit money laundering.”
He said Barker, of Oatlands Drive in Harrogate, was charged with seven counts of conspiring to commit fraud by false representation. All or most are understood to relate to the Windsor area and none relate to the York businesses.
Barker’s solicitors, Clarion, told The Press that he did not intend at this time to make any statements to the media in relation to the case.
They added: “We do confirm that our client denies all of the charges, and that he is looking forward to having the opportunity to defend himself and his reputation at trial.”
Marmadukes, The Guy Fawkes and The Lamb & Lion are now owned by HRH Group.
According to Companies House documents, Barker resigned as a director of Inn Focus before it went into liquidation in late 2010.
He is listed as having 13 other directorships with various firms, many of which are based in North Yorkshire.
The 13-bedroom Guy Fawkes Inn, opposite York Minster, and 20 bedroom Marmadukes boutique hotel in St Peter’s Grove, just off Bootham, were previously part of the ill-fated De Bretton Group, run by York businessman David Hattersley.