Convicted fraudster in £600,000 dream homes scam put to '˜test' over promises to pay back cash

VICTIMS of a fraudster who ran a £600,000 dream homes scam have told of their disbelief after he turned up to court to be sentenced only to claim he could pay back the money.
Barry LeighBarry Leigh
Barry Leigh

Barry Leigh was due to be sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court but vowed to pay back 61p in every pound to the victims if two lucrative land deals go ahead.

A judge has adjourned Leigh’s sentencing until June but warned the fraudster’s situation will be worse if he does not make amends.

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Judge Roger Hetherington said: ‘For those victim who are present, and who will be informed about this decision, who take the view that it would be a waste of time, the fact that I’m granting this adjournment is no indication that I don’t share that view.

Ken and Sandra Peake, victims of convicted fraudster Barry Leigh.Ken and Sandra Peake, victims of convicted fraudster Barry Leigh.
Ken and Sandra Peake, victims of convicted fraudster Barry Leigh.

‘It’s simply to put the defendant to the test.

‘It won’t be enough for him to say “well I intended it but others have let me down” because that has been the story of his protestations throughout this case.’

As reported by The News last month, bogus businessman Leigh, 63, of Magennis Close, Gosport, admitted forgery, money laundering and a string of frauds through his firm Dream Coastal and Country Homes.

He laundered £620,145 in the frauds, which saw him offer plots of lands to victims, including carpenter Steve Ritchie, 46, and his disabled wife Lilian, 59.

Convicted fraudster Barry Leigh's victims Steve and Lilian RitchieConvicted fraudster Barry Leigh's victims Steve and Lilian Ritchie
Convicted fraudster Barry Leigh's victims Steve and Lilian Ritchie

They lost the cash when the deals never materialised.

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Speaking outside court today, Steve said: ‘I’m gutted, I wanted to see him go down.

‘He knows it. He needs taking off the streets.’

He added: ‘We’ll now wait and see whether we’re going to get this.

Ken and Sandra Peake, victims of convicted fraudster Barry Leigh.Ken and Sandra Peake, victims of convicted fraudster Barry Leigh.
Ken and Sandra Peake, victims of convicted fraudster Barry Leigh.

‘I don’t think so because this all happened time and time again, broken promises of “you’re going to get your money back”.’

‘And I don’t see it happening now.’

Today the court heard two land deals were in progress with emails received ‘overnight’ and a meeting scheduled for Friday.

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Outside court when the case was adjourned for an hour this morning, Leigh told the victims: ‘It’s up to you whether you want your money back.

Convicted fraudster Barry Leigh's victims Steve and Lilian RitchieConvicted fraudster Barry Leigh's victims Steve and Lilian Ritchie
Convicted fraudster Barry Leigh's victims Steve and Lilian Ritchie

‘You’ve got nothing to lose by waiting four weeks.’

Before deciding to adjourn, the judge said: ‘My initial reaction is this is precisely that same sort of exercise which led three or four years ago to defrauding all of the people.

‘That also generated endless documents, promises, so-called assurances apparently verified by bona fide professionals.

‘They were not worth the paper they were written on and I strongly suspect that this is in the same tradition.’

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Leigh previously admitted fraudulently trading between August 7, 2013 and July 26, 2014, three charges of fraud by false representations to three victims, forgery of a bank account to show he had £980,121.35, and use of a false instrument – the statement – to fool Humberts Estates Agents. He also admitted laundering £620,145.

He pleaded guilty on the basis the firm was not a lie from the start and he believed he could bring it all together.

Victims at court today were split on whether or not Leigh should be given the time.

Ken Peake, 59, and his wife Sandra, 54, from North Devon, said they lost £87,500.

‘I know he’s not going to get the money, he’s going to make it worse for him,’ said Ken.