Timothy Barnes, of Charland Courtroom, Droitwich, appeared at Worcester Crown Courtroom on Friday (June 19) to be sentenced for 34 counts of fraud by false illustration, three counts of constructing an article to be used in fraud, and two counts of theft. The 68-year-old, who is called Paul Barnes, admitted to all offences when he …
Timothy Barnes, of Charland Courtroom, Droitwich, appeared at Worcester Crown Courtroom on Friday (June 19) to be sentenced for 34 counts of fraud by false illustration, three counts of constructing an article to be used in fraud, and two counts of theft.
The 68-year-old, who is called Paul Barnes, admitted to all offences when he appeared earlier than Worcester Crown Courtroom in July 2025.
The courtroom heard how he used excuses reminiscent of his spouse leaving him and needing to settle his mom’s property to emotionally manipulate his victims into sending him big quantities of cash between September 2022 and July 2023.
Barnes, who was a monetary adviser, used his place and the belief individuals had in him to steal a complete of £1,962,481.68 to commerce cryptocurrency, after he misplaced cash by means of a rip-off.
The biggest sum defrauded by Barnes from a single individual was £886,000, from a person who requested to stay nameless in courtroom.
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In sufferer impression statements learn out in courtroom, lots of Barnes’ victims shared how their belief had been destroyed by his actions.
The courtroom heard that Archie Johnson, who had misplaced £20,000 to Barnes, had considered Barnes as a trusted good friend.
Anthony Judd, who Barnes stole £10,000 from, stated: “We have no idea what has pushed him to this. A very good man has fallen.”
Roger Cliffe, who misplaced £18,000 to Barnes, stated: “He appeared me within the eye, he shared drinks with my buddies, and deceived me.”
The courtroom heard Barnes additionally stole £206,500 from the British Bike Charitable Belief, the place he was a former chairman, and £1,245 from Morton Wooden Residents Affiliation, when he was already underneath investigation.
Lots of the victims, together with the BMCT, by no means acquired their a reimbursement.
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In mitigation, the defence stated: “He’s sorry to everyone he lied to, and who has been damage. He recognises that modifications nothing, however he has achieved, however he desires everybody to realize it.
“This isn’t a case the place the defendant focused victims as a result of they had been weak. They had been victims as a result of they trusted the defendant. If any individual occurred to be weak, they weren’t focused due to it.
“The defendant was a sufferer of scams. None of his fraud was for a lavish life-style. He was merely making an attempt to undo what was achieved to him.”
Sentencing, Choose Jackson stated: “You carried out a marketing campaign of fraud focusing on individuals you knew personally.
“In a few of these frauds, you used solid documentation and, in some circumstances, pretend telephone calls.
“After the primary few loans there was no prospect of them being repaid, and but you continued.”
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For 33 of the 34 counts of fraud by false illustration and the 2 counts of theft, Barnes was sentenced to 6 years in jail for every, to be served concurrently. He was additionally sentenced to 27 months in jail for making articles utilized in fraud, additionally to be served concurrently.
For the thirty fourth rely of fraud, which noticed the sufferer lose £886,000, Barnes was sentenced to 5 years in jail to be served consecutively with the opposite offences.
Barnes was sentenced to a complete of 11 years in jail for the offences.
