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08
Apr
Knaresborough luxury car fraudster's fate remains unresolved
The sentencing of a luxury car dealer from Knaresborough who was convicted of fraud has been adjourned – again.
Andrew Mearns, 57, owned Gmund Cars Ltd, which operated at Nidd Valley Trading Estate at Lingerfield.
He was due to stand trial at Sheffield Crown Court on October 31 last year after being charged with 16 counts of fraud and three counts of theft — all of which relate to his business between 2015 and 2020.
However, in a dramatic U-turn on the day of trial, Mearns pleaded guilty to all 16 fraud charges, admitting he failed to pay the 16 separate victims after selling their vehicles.
Sheffield Crown Court told the Stray Ferret at the time Mearns entered “no plea” to the three theft charges, which included the alleged theft of three Porsches, totalling more than £250,000.
The defendant, who now lives at Conwyn Place in Llandudno, was originally due to be sentenced at the same court on February 27, but the hearing was adjourned.
He was then due to appear tomorrow (April 9), but the sentencing has once again been delayed and is now scheduled for June 5.
This is the latest setback in a case that has already faced lengthy delays. It has been almost three years since Mearns first appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court in May 2023.
Where is my £52,000 Gmund?
The luxury dealer who went bankrupt
Gmund, which started in 2006, forged a reputation for buying and selling classic Porsche cars, but the company was later dissolved and Mearns was declared bankrupt.
The defendant's wife, Samantha, the former Conservative councillor for Knaresborough Scriven Park, was company secretary until December 2018.
Ms Mearns told the Stray Ferret in 2020 she was never interviewed by police in relation to the allegations.
In July 2021, she resigned from Harrogate Borough Council and moved to Wales, citing family reasons.
In 2020, six victims spoke to the Stray Ferret about their experiences with the firm.
Matt Saphier told the Stray Ferret in 2020 he took his Porsche 911, valued at more than £80,000, to Gmund Cars Ltd in May 2017.
After many months of waiting, Mr Saphier received a DVLA notice to say his car had changed ownership in November 2018. He claims he did not give permission for the sale and Gmund Cars Ltd never sent him the money.
Another customer, Anthony Place, said he took his Porsche 924 Carrera GT to Gmund Cars in August 2018 to be sold on a 'sale or return' basis.
The DVLA sent Mr Place a notice in March 2019 to say his car had changed ownership, but he never received any money from the sale. After a couple months of pestering, Mr Place lost his patience.
He decided to head down to Gmund Cars Ltd for an open day where more than 200 people were in attendance. Mr Place printed t-shirts, painted on the side of one of his other cars and even paid for a plane to carry a banner.
The message was simple: "Where's my £52,495 Gmund?".
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