THE TRIAL of a business couple accused of a string of frauds across west Wales could be delayed for almost a year, a judge heard today.John James Carney, aged 56, and Tracey Angela Heyman, 49, are to stand trial before a jury at Swansea crown court but an earlier hearing had been told that Carney had fallen ill.
The same court was told today that he had since undergone a serious operation on his bowel and that it was unclear how much, if any, further treatment would be necessary.
The original trial date in September was abandoned, as expected, and now the couple will not go on trial before March, 2015, because of a combination of Carney’s state of health and pressure on court time.
Carney and Heyman, now living at 2 Kelsey Head, Port Solent, Portsmouth, Hampshire, have denied six charges of fraud involving allegations that the couple obtained mortgages by pretending that Heyman was paid an annual salary by Discipline by Design ranging from £37,000 to £75,000.
The properties were 33 Bryn Steffan, Lampeter (£104,000 mortgage), 35 Bryn Steffan (£109,000), 59 Addison Drive, Lincoln (£77,775), Madryn, Llanybydder (£205,000) Arosta, Llanybydder (£124,000) and 39 Bryn Steffan (£159,110).
They also deny obtaining a £698,000 mortgage by fraud to obtain Plas Llangoedmor Mansion, Cardigan, and a £560,000 mortgage to obtain The Thatched Farmhouse, Llanybydder, by falsely representing that they each received an annual salary of £250,000.
They have also pleaded not guilty to obtaining a £357,000 flexible business loan from Natwest by falsely predicting business income of between £433,000 and £533,000 a year.
The couple also deny making false representations in order to obtain the approval of creditors for a voluntary agreement by failing to disclose that they owned 35 Bryn Steffan and Audi cars.
Carney and Heyman also deny fraud by obtaining car insurance for Carney by falsely claiming that he had a valid UK driver’s licence and that he did not have any motoring convictions.
Carney alone denies attempting to pervert the course of justice by carrying out a series of acts that included giving instructions for documents to be removed and arranging for monies to be paid into the account of another person.
All the offending was said to have taken place between August 17, 2004, and November 30, 2012.
The couple are on bail.
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