Husband says he was unaware of wife’s fraudulent activity in their company

A Lincolnshire businessman who co-directed an engineering company with his wife, which worked with Innovate UK, has denied any knowledge of fraudulent activity, despite his wife having pleaded guilty to her part in the fraud.

Andrew Rendell-Read is alleged to have extracted a profit of £260,000 from the Government agency in a joint fraud operated with his wife and business partner, Catherine McGreggor.

According to the prosecution, the vehicle for the fraud was VBC Instrument Engineering (VBC), of which the couple were both directors.

The prosecution claims that the pair submitted false invoices and the costs of two ghost employees during a funding project related to the automated manufacture of aerospace blades.

Innovate UK reimbursed 41 per cent of the costs incurred by VBC as part of the project.

During a series of Police interviews, while Ms McGregor pleaded guilty to fraud charges, Mr Rendell-Read said he had “no idea this was going on” and denied being involved in the administration of the business.

However, Lincoln Crown Court heard evidence this month from Monitoring Officer Brian Cumming, who Innovate UK employed to review the project on a quarterly basis.

Mr Cumming said that Mr Rendell-Read was generally present at all of the quarterly meetings.

The Police questioned Mr Rendell-Read about plans for an extension at the couple’s home and asked about four top-of-the-range cars found there.

In response to questions about his Rolex watch, he claimed it was a wedding present from his wife when they got married in 2016.

In Court, Mr Rendell Read denied making false expenses claims relating to Innovate UK between 3 December 2015 and 11 September 12018.

He also denied abusing his position as a director of VBC between 10 February 2016 and 18 April 2019.

He faces a third charge of possessing articles for use in fraud, namely forged invoices, between 10 February 2016 and 11 August 2018.

Roger Isaacs, National Technical Director of NIFA, said, “This case is reminiscent of the notorious prosecution of Peter Murrell, husband of Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the question as to whether it is credible that a spouse had no knowledge of what was happening within his or her household.”

Sources: Lincs Online