Man faces court over alleged £17k fraud

Company director Matthew James Terry, 43, has been charged with 14 counts of fraud by false representation, and obtaining services dishonestly.

Terry, who also uses the names of Matthew Fox and Matthew James, was charged following an investigation by Sussex detectives at Hastings after complaints from 12 different organisations who had employed him to carry out telemarketing work for them between June 2010 and January this year.

The 12 complaints were made by the companies via the national Action Fraud website.

It is alleged that Terry obtained a total of £17,000, working as Solution Sales Company, based at his then home in Witherenden Hill, Burwash Common.

Two separate complaints were also made by two private schools in East Sussex.

It is alleged Terry avoided payment for education for his children at one school and attempted the same offence at the second school.

One of the school’s involved was St Bedes at Eastbourne.

Terry has also been charged with assault by battery and criminal damage, following an alleged incident involving a bailiff who had gone to his then home in Burwash Common on 29 November 2011.

Terry, now of Brickhouse Farm, Herstmonceux, denied all the charges when he appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court yesterday (Thursday).

He will face trial at a later date.