Essex: Boxer Among Accused In Elderly Scam

23 August 2013, 09:12 | Updated: 23 August 2013, 09:15

A former British champion boxer from Colchester is among six people charged following an investigation into a £1 million scam targeting elderly victims.

26-year-old Lee Purdy, of Greenstead Road, who won the British welterweight title in 2011, was charged with money laundering yesterday (Thursday 22 August) after being arrested in raids in June.

His most recent high profile fight came against Devon Alexander in Atlantic City in May but Purdy lost the fight which ended in the seventh round.

Unemployed Barry Lilley, 63, of Frinton Road, Kirby Cross; builder Lee Symes, 33, of Church Road, Elmstead; electricity board worker Susan Lilley, 57, from Ipswich Road, Holland-on-Sea; cleaner Vanessa Clement, 54, of Bromley Road, Ardleigh; and retired Derek Johnstone, 69, of Ipswich Road, Holland-on-Sea, have also been charged with money laundering.

They have all been bailed to appear at Colchester Magistrates' Court on 10 September.

Seven people have already been charged with offences relating to a fraud committed between 2009 and 2013.

The charges relate to work carried out on victims' homes at inflated prices.