A 57-year-old financial advisor has appeared before magistrates in Shropshire accused of stealing £1m from elderly people.
Michael Tomlinson, from Pillory Street, Nantwich, in Cheshire, faces 21 counts of deception. The offences, involving sums ranging from £8,000 to £192,000, are alleged to have happened between 1998 and 2005.
He was granted conditional bail and the hearing was adjourned until May 7, when committal proceedings will take place.
Michael Tomlinson leaves Market Drayton Magistrates Court.No Plea: The 21 deception charges relate to sums of money he had been asked to invest for his clients, many of whom were elderly and some of whom lived in Shropshire. He also faces a charge of trading for fraudulent purposes in relation to a company called Acorn Holdings trading as One Group, UK.
Mr Tomlinson did not enter a plea at the brief hearing at Market Drayton Magistrates' Court.
Miss Juliana Ng, prosecuting, said although the case was suitable for trial before the magistrates, the amount of money involved, £1.1m, meant they would be unable to sentence Mr Tomlinson. She did not oppose bail, but asked that the defendant's passport should be confiscated and he should be ordered not to contact any of the witnesses.
© BBC MMVIII
