Police have confirmed that they did not have the resources to investigate fraud allegations against an agent.
Instead, the victim took the unusual step of taking a private prosecution against Timothy Shinners, who stole tenants’ deposits and was jailed for three years.
Business owner Stephen Laycock is now out of pocket to the tune of £277,000.
Yesterday, Detective Helen Critchley of Greater Manchester Police confirmed to the Mail on Sunday that the force had been asked to investigate the allegations.
She told the paper: Due to the volume of fraud cases reported, sadly it isn’t possible for every crime to be investigated due to the time and demand on our resources.
“In September 2015, we received a report of fraud which was assessed by our team. Recognising that there was a limited prospect of GMP securing a successful criminal prosecution due to its limited and already stretched resources, it was decided that this investigation would not be proportionate.”
Dame Vera Baird, the Victims’ Commissioner, told the paper: “It is outrageous that a victim of a serious crime is told that the police and prosecution will do nothing to try and get justice.
“It was obviously a strong case, since the victim took it on himself and won it at court.
“It cost him vast amounts on top of the loss he already ssstained from the offence – it’s the criminal justice system re-victimising him since he clearly won’t get it all back.”
Laycock made good the missing deposits, which Shinners used to pay for luxury holidays and his stag weekend.
EYE has been following the case.
Agent who helped himself to tenants’ deposits is jailed for three years
Above, Timothy Shinners
Comments (6)
The original EYE article (July 2017) stated that Shinners had been jailed for three years.
Apparently he was managing a career as National Sales Director (despite being banned from being a Director for eight years, apparently – although his ‘Directorship’ was not registered at Companies House) for a training company from his 8×10 – a role his LinkedIn profile states he commenced in August 2018.
Courses include “Personal Development” (aka – How to blag holidays with other people’s cash) “Risk Assessment” (I’m sure he won’t do it again…) and “Safeguarding” (Make him promise not to do it again)
Shinners is apparently now back in our Industry, as a valuer for an Online Listing firm.
Oh, whoopee-frickin’doo.
Well done Stephen.
Sad we are in a world fraudsters can get away as Police cannot be bothered.
Agreed, well done.
The police have always struggled with fraud cases – even the simplest one is too complex for them. Yet, in most cases, they only need to prove “False Accounting” which usually guarantees a custodial sentence.
Huge admiration for Stephen Laycock.
At the end of a private prosecution the prosecutor is entitled to costs from the Crown, win or lose. You can find the information on the CPS website. You are likely to only receive back the equivalent of Legal Aid rates.
As for the pathetic excuses by the police having no money let us remember Caroline Flack, Cliff Richard, Lord Bramall, Harvey Proctor and the list goes on. They find the money when it suits them, and yours was not a trophy case.
that is incorrect – the amount you recover should be close to the expense incurred, providing you have acted reasonably. That was the whole bais of the appeal Mr Laycock won. He was unable to instruct the CPS and the costs recoverable must be consistent with markets rates for prosecution. Legal aid concentrates on criminal defence, as it would usually be the CPS prosecuting, on behalf of the crown. Section 18 of the legislaltion allows for the costs to be reduced to those which would be incurred in a public prosecution, where the criminal is required to pay the costs