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Trevor and Wendy Baines given prison sentences

Fri, 25 Feb 2011

Former rich list tycoon Trevor Baines has been given a further two and a half years in prison  for stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds from a trust fund.

 

His wife Wendy was jailed for 18 months.

 

In January, Trevor Baines pleaded guilty to stealing the money, which was used to pay legal fees during a previous money laundering trial.

 

His 52 year old wife Wendy admitted obtaining £400,000 by deception.

 

The defence team told the court they intended to repay the stolen money with the sale of their former home Africa House in Woodbourne Road. It's currently on the market for £2.3m.

 

Acting Deemster Turner told Baines that he appeared to belong to the jet set but this was based on a lie and he was nowhere near as wealthy as he made out.

 

The court heard that the 71 year old had wanted experienced English lawyers to represent him during a previous criminal case but didn't have the half a million pounds he needed pay for it.

 

30 year old Manx Advocate Jenny Holt, who was on Mr and Mrs Baines legal team during the previous matters, was given a 12 month suspended sentence, for money laundering and falsifying documents.

 

Miss Holt had denied handling the £400,000 stolen by the Baineses, but was found guilty.

 

Before today's proceedings, Mr Baines was part-way through serving a six year sentence for money laundering.

 

His earliest possible release date had been October next year, but the new two and a half year term will now run consecutively to the previous sentence.

 

His advocate told the court today that Mr Baines was finding prison tough because of his old age and state of health.

 

The court heard that Mr Baines isn't confident he will live long enough to see out his sentences, but if he does, he plans to move to live in Portugal upon his release.

 

 

 

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