Framlingham Pigot: Man Jailed For Part In Million Pound Fraud

9 October 2013, 14:20 | Updated: 9 October 2013, 14:28

A Norfolk man who was part of a gang who conned more than a million pounds out of people in a cold-calling scam's been jailed.

55-year-old Anthony Slowther from Framlingham Pigot - was part of a team who took people life-savings by selling them poor or non-existent investments.

He has been convicted of theft, aiding and abetting fraud by abuse of position and conspiracy to defraud.  He received a four year nine month sentence.

Mr Slowther's one of three people jailed today to a total of 11 years behind bars.

Three years of hard work and dedication was also recognised by the court judge as he awarded DC Sharon Morgan-Smith from the Economic and Crime Unit a commendation for her contribution to the case.

DC Sharon Morgan-Smith, Norfolk Constabulary, welcomed the conviction saying: "I am pleased that Norfolk Constabulary has played its part in bringing some of the offenders to justice following a complex and detailed investigation which ran from 2010 to 2013.

"The investigation uncovered over 50 victims nationally who lost in excess of £1 million between 2009 and 2010. The boiler room, situated in central London, was closed down by Norfolk Constabulary with the help of the City of London Police in May 2010 after it had identified unusual activity taking place in the bank account of Springbok Finance.  The scam was orchestrated by the main defendant Anthony Slowther, the director of Springbok Finance.

"The boiler room in London had adopted a hard sell approach when making excessive and misleading cold calls to members of the public whilst using false names. Many of the victims were elderly and they lost their life savings.  I hope this sentence sends out a warning to others that we are determined to pursue anyone involved in this type of criminality and bring them before the courts."