Conman sent to jail for 18 months
Bogus asbestos investigator Barrie Christy has been jailed after conning four companies out of at least £10,000 - and causing "massive losses" to one.
He forged certificates to pretend that asbestos analysis had been done, a court heard.
Christy (50), of Park View, Cleethorpes, was convicted by a jury of 16 offences of forgery and seven of obtaining a money transfer by deception, through bogus invoices, between September and November, 2004.
Ian Goldsack, prosecuting at Grimsby Crown Court, said Christy had worked in health and safety and spotted a business opportunity for work involving checking premises for asbestos.
He used Craikhill Consultancy Limited, based in Immingham, to market his services.
John Drew, of ABP, arranged for Christy to do sampling work at various sites.
Because Christy was "not trained, qualified or accredited" for analysis, he was supposed to take samples to North Lincolnshire Analytical Limited for that company to provide certificates of analysis for him.
Christy would then write the rest of the reports, submit them to the client companies and ask for payment through invoices.
But Christy forged signatures to pretend North Lincolnshire Analytical Limited had analysed the samples.
"The names and signatures were a complete fiction," said Mr Goldsack.
"They were bogus certificates."
Two of the names shown did not even exist.
The bogus invoices made Christy more than £10,000, said Mr Goldsack.
Other companies conned by Christy, as well as ABP, were Brianplant Ltd and CAT UK Services Ltd, along with Doncaster Magistrates' Court.
The court heard that Christy's ex-wife, Lesley Christy, claimed he told her he had been "faking findings of asbestos" and had been paid by companies.
At a resumed hearing before Sheffield Crown Court, Christy - in custody since July 16 - was jailed for 18 months.
Jason MacAdam, mitigating, said Christy had been out of trouble for a long time and asked for credit for Christy's 66 days in custody.
Judge John Swanson told the court: "Loss of liberty is essential here."
Source – Grimsby Telegraph
10:00 - 25 September 2007
