A speedboat-owning businessman is accused of deceiving banks and businesses out of hundreds of thousands of pounds with his unemployed wife.
Clifford Allen Wake’s businesses replaced windows in council houses in Brighton and Hove, took on multi-million contracts in south London and helped build a hospital in Tunbridge Wells with various companies.
But the 52-year-old declared earnings of just £31,000 in eight years while claiming £19,000 in benefits.
Judge Guy Anthony yesterday (February 25) started summing up 18 counts of various types of fraud against him and his second wife Julia Theresa Wake, 44, of Whitethorn Drive, Brighton.
On mortgage application forms, Mrs Wake was reported to earn more than £90,000 a year as an upholsterer. Mr Wake previously told the court she suffered from post natal depression and had never worked.
In the same applications for the loan, Mr Wake said he earned £125,000 a year.
They are alleged to have dishonestly gained more than £1million in mortgages, failing at the time to disclose Mr Wake’s previous bankruptcy in 1990 and 11 previous convictions dating back to 1976, including forging passports.
Bankrupt
When his company Mometco Developments Limited went bankrupt in 2008, Mr Wake told liquidators he only had £35 in his bank.
The couple are both accused of failing to disclose their speed boat, a Harley Davidson, a Chevrolet Star and a Porsche Boxster.
Judge Anthony told the jury: “Between 2003 and 2010 or 2011 they were involved in a number of financial transactions, many of which have excited the police, when they came to look at his conduct in particular.
“Are they the victim of the recession, bad luck or other people? Or have they been dishonest in some or various transactions?”
Both deny all charges.
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