News

£5m west Wales mortgage fraud

Published

11 years ago

January 6, 2015

A WEST WALES estate agent and three businessmen who tried to rig the mortgage market have been jailed today “for their greed and dishonesty.” The four tried to make a fortune out of a rising housing market—and another fortune as prices dipped. Swansea Crown Court heard how in some cases they deliberately defaulted on mortgage payments, and then invented land disputes in the hope of buying back the houses at lower prices.

Ben Pickering, once a prospective Conservative candidate for parliament, and now living at Trevarron, Barrack Lane in Truro, Cornwall, admitted conspiring to defraud banks and building societies. He was jailed for six years. Mark Cainen, of West Cross Avenue in Swansea, and former financial adviser Paul John, aged 44, of Greenfield Crescent, Llansamlet in Swansea, were convicted of the same offence after a trial. Cainen was jailed for eight years and John for three years and four months.

West Wales estate agent Emma Davey,aged 34 of Rhydargaeau in Carmarthen, was jailed for one year, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work for the community. All four now face a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation as the government tries to confiscate the profit made from the £5 million fraud. Carl Harrison, prosecuting, said the four had been involved in a sophisticated conspiracy during which they successfully applied for mortgages using false names, created false identities, invented salaries and tried to manipulate the market to their advantage.

They frequently sold properties to each other and bought computer software capable of producing convincing looking payslips. Mr Harrison said Pickering and Cainen were at the heart of the conspiracy, which ran for eight years. Mr Harrison added: “Pickering and Cainen acted as buyers, sellers and points of contact in the conspiracy and they provided false information such as shadow salary payments, invoices, pay slips and P60 documents giving details of tax said to have been paid.

“There is some evidence Cainen was directing Ben Pickering, telling him what he should do and the order in which he should do it. “They were effectively stealing the identities of other people and companies and taking the identities of people of a similar age to get mortgages approved.” During Cainen’s trial e-mails were produced by the prosecution that showed Cainen saying to Pickering: “Get your smoke and mirrors out.”

Another from Cainen criticised Pickering “for not being a good crook”. At one time Cainen had more than 20 bank accounts in different names and Pickering obtained software to make false pay slips. Paul John was sacked by a Swansea finance firm in 2008 when a colleague found a false mortgage application for his wife in his desk drawer. The court heard after his arrest, Pickering continued to work as a film director and made two successful films, however due to financial hardship, he was now living in the attic of his inlaws’ home.

The judge suspended Davey’s jail term due to previous good character and the fact she was “prevailed upon” Judge Thomas said at the sentencing hearing today: “I have been told in letters on behalf of Pickering that the economic downturn and its effect on the housing market was the driving factor. “I don’t accept that argument in any shape or form, these offences were fraudulent from the outset. This was fuelled not by economic necessity but by greed.”

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

3 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

4 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

4 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.