Telford man charged over £590,000 romance fraud allegations
Detectives at the force's economic crime unit said the charges related to claims of fraud between 2009 and 2024.
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Times
2 minutes ago
- Times
Police on the scent as cheese robbery plot crumbles
Detectives hunting the gang behind the Grate Cheese Robbery, in which 22 tonnes of the world's finest cloth-bound artisan cheddar was stolen in an elaborate fraud, have arrested six middle-aged men as they stay on the scent of the suspects. A crew of con artists allegedly spent four months convincing Neal's Yard Dairy, the London wholesaler and retailer of artisan cheeses, that they were a well-known French cheese-buyer for a major distributor and supermarket, before making off with £300,000 worth of cloth-bound raw-milk two truckloads they took away 950 wheels of cheese in October last year, including 12 tonnes of Pitchfork Cheddar, nine tonnes of Westcombe Cheddar and two tonnes of Hafod Cheddar. When Neal's Yard weren't paid after delivery they quickly established that they had been conned and went to the police. They paid the three small-scale artisan cheese producers in full 'despite the significant financial blow' to themselves.A week later, detectives from the Metropolitan Police's specialist crime command arrested a 63-year-old man on suspicion of fraud by false representation and handling stolen goods. Since then news of the investigation has fallen silent as investigators sniffed out the trail of the stolen truckles. The Met has now revealed that they began arresting more suspects at the end of last year and made their latest arrest last month. The six men, aged between 37 and 63, have been arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation and handling stolen goods. A 50-year-old man has also been interviewed under six arrested suspects have been released under investigation pending further enquiries. Ben Ticehurst, the head cheesemaker at Trethowan Brothers dairy, which makes Pitchfork Cheddar ten miles from the Somerset town that gives it name to the cheese, said it was 'very heartening to think that even if we have pushed it to the back of our minds, the police are digging in and finding out what has gone on'. Ticehurst added: 'Thankfully no one was harmed [during the theft] but for any of the small producers it could have been game over if Neal's Yard hadn't taken the financial hit and paid us.' 'Despite that, it will still have had a huge impact on their ability to help small cheesemakers like us, with the incredible amount of work they put into their staff helping cheesemakers with incredibly technical things so we can make the best cheeses we can.' After the initial arrest of the 63-year-old man on October 30 last year, things went quiet until a flurry of activity in the New Year. A 37-year-old man was arrested on January 2, followed by a 45-year-old man on January 13 and another 63-year-old man on January 21. A 57-year-old man was arrested on April 30 and detectives arrested a 54-year-old man on July 3 and interviewed the 50-year-old man under caution on July 4. The alleged con started with an email to Neal's Yard in July 2024, from someone with a seemingly deep knowledge of cheese, requesting 950 cheddar truckles, or uncut wheels of cheese. • Can you freeze cheese? 34 cheese questions answered by an expert Over the course of several months the perpetrators allegedly impersonated a reputable distributor well known within the European cheese industry. An elaborate contract was drawn up, outlining detailed payment terms, and conversations with the alleged representative demonstrated a deep understanding of the sector, further lending credibility to the scheme. At the end of September, a haulier organised by the alleged fraudsters collected half the cheese from Neal's Yard Dairy's warehouse in Bermondsey, southeast London. The second delivery was made by a haulier arranged by Neal's Yard itself, who was instructed to drop the cheese off at a warehouse in north London. The haulier who carried out the delivery reported that the warehouse was 'not a typical food warehouse'. Neal's Yard was supposed to be paid within a week of the deliveries being made, which is typical for the food industry, but by the start of October they had heard nothing from the supposed they contacted the legitimate distributor, who they believed had made the order, they quickly established that they had been conned. The cheeses could conceivably be stored for up to 18 months, at the right temperature, without deterioration but as soon as they are cut they will dry and need to be eaten. The cheese producers believe the thieves may have tried to smuggle the cheese into the Middle East or Russia, away from the watchful gaze of the international artisan cheesemaking community, to avoid detection. News of the fraud, first dubbed the 'grate cheese robbery' by Jamie Oliver, made headlines around the world and shone a spotlight on the world of expensive artisan produce. Ticehurst believes the public were initially shocked that someone would value cheese highly enough to organise an elaborate deception to steal it, but he thinks their produce should be regarded in the same way as fine wines or sports Cheddar is made by hand in small batches and costs about £1,200 per 25kg truckle. After its first year of production it won Best British Cheese at the World Cheese Awards in 2019 and was judged the fourth best cheese on the be considered traditional Somerset clothbound cheddar, it must be made by hand from raw cow's milk, with calf rennet and local starter cultures used in the process.
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
TV cop 'resigns' from police force after 'sexist' and 'racist' messages found on phone
PC Andrew Doran who appeared on Motorway Cops has been forced to resign from Cheshire Police after inappropriate messages were found on his personal phone A police officer who found fame on Motorway Cops: Catching Britain's Speeders has been forced to resign from his position with Cheshire Police after inappropriate messages were found on his personal phone. During a misconduct hearing, PC Andrew Doran allegedly sent, received and kept "inappropriate, sexist, racist, discriminatory and unprofessional messages and material on his personal mobile phone." The police officer who was also a fan favourite since appearing on the channel 5 show, was also exposed for having a video "depicting extreme pornography." The misconduct hearing stated that the former police officer would have been "sacked" if he had not handed in his resignation. The offensive messages remained on his phone between 2018 and 2025. PC Doran had allegedly sent 17 sexist images and received nine. He also sent three racist pictures and received 11. The misconduct hearing also heard that he sent discriminatory pictures and one "improper or offensive" image, which resulted in it being a criminal offence. In 2021, it was also claimed that PC Andrew Doran was sent "extreme pornography". According to the Warrington Guardian, the hearing it was revealed during the hearing: "It is alleged that, as a serving police officer, in sending, receiving, or retaining the material, you have shown a clear lack of integrity through your actions, and displayed discriminatory views and behaviour which shows a lack of respect and courtesy towards others." The hearing was told: "You have behaved in such a manner as to discredit Cheshire Police, and the police service as a whole, thereby impacting public trust and confidence in policing. It is alleged you have not challenged or reported its content and retained possession of the material on your personal mobile device." In conclusion of the hearing Chief constable Mark Roberts stated that PC Doran would have been dismissed without notice had he not resigned. Despite his resignation, the police officer turned TV cop has been barred from re-joining the police force.
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
DWP confirms exactly when it will launch huge benefits crackdown that means banks can identify fraudsters
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Government has confirmed when it's planning to bring in controversial new powers aimed at cracking down on benefits fraudsters. Banks will be drafted in to help identify benefits cheats and convicted fraudsters could be stripped of their driving licences under the new Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) plans. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The Government wants to crack down on benefits fraudsters and save taxpayers billions Credit: Alamy New Government documents have revealed it's planning to bring the measures under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill in April 2026. The DWP has said it will be the "biggest fraud crackdown in a generation". It's estimated the new powers could save taxpayers £1.5billion over five years. Last year, an estimated £7.4billion was lost to benefits fraud - around 2.8% of total welfare spending. A further £1.6bn (0.6%) was overpaid due to unintentional errors by claimants, while £0.8bn (0.3%) was overpaid because of errors by the DWP. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been trying to boost the public purse after it was revealed she needs to plug a £50billion hole in public finances. The new measures mean banks will help to identify customers who might have breached benefit eligibility rules, such as exceeding the £16,000 savings limit for Universal Credit. They will share limited data with the DWP but can't provide transaction details, so officials won't be able to see how benefit claimants spend their money. The DWP also won't gain direct access to claimants' bank accounts, but it will receive cases flagged for investigation. Financial institutions face penalties if they overshare information beyond what's permitted. DWP will have access to YOUR bank accounts to tackle debt as Brits told 'get back to work' in major push on unemployed Airlines and other third-party organisations might also have to provide information to help detect benefit claims made from abroad that could violate eligibility rules. According to the Government documents, any information "will not be shared on the presumption or suspicion that anyone is guilty of any offence". However officials will gain authority to recover money directly from fraudsters' bank accounts. As well as this, persistent benefit fraudsters who fail to repay their debts could face driving bans lasting up to two years. DWP minister Liz Kendall has pledged to clamp down on benefit cheats, saying back in March: "The social security system that we inherited from the Conservatives is failing the very people that it is supposed to help and is holding our country back. "The facts speak for themselves. One in 10 people of working age are now claiming a sickness or disability benefit. Almost one million young people are not in education, employment or training - one in eight of all our young people." The DWP has said it will have strong safeguards in place, including new inspection and reporting mechanisms. DWP staff will also receive comprehensive training before using the new powers. However campaign groups have warned the powers could invade claimants' rights to financial privacy and it could also lead to legitimate claimants being wrongly investigated. In a letter to Kendall last year, the directors of Big Brother Watch and Age UK described the plans as "mass financial surveillance powers" which they said would "represent a severe and disproportionate intrusion into the nation's privacy".
