Five charged by Overseas Anti Corruption Unit (OACU)

On 11 July detectives from the force's Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit (OACU) charged Joan Tree, 60, and Sam Tree, 65, from Bedfordshire, Anthony Williamson, 57, from Hampshire, Gary Bolton, 46, from Kent and Simon Sherrard, 49, from North West London with various Fraud Act offences. All the accused were released on bail and are due to appear at City of London Magistrates on 18 July.  

The charges, following consultation with and advice from  the Crown Prosecution Service, relate to a long term parallel investigation with Avon and Somerset Constabulary regarding the manufacture, promotion and sale of a range of fraudulent substance detector devices to foreign jurisdictions between 15 January 2007 and 12 July 2012. 

The details of the charges are:

Gary Bolton faces two counts contrary to sections 2 and 7 of the Fraud   Act 2006, relating to a device called ‘GT200’, which it is alleged was dishonestly represented as capable of detecting explosives.  

Samuel Tree, Joan Tree, and Simon Sherrard have each been charged with one count contrary to Section 7 of the Fraud Act 2006, involving an ‘Alpha 6’ substance detection device.

Anthony Williamson faces the same charge in relation to an ‘XK9’ device.

Simon Sherrard faces an additional count contrary to Section 6 of the Fraud Act 2006 for possession of an Alpha 6 substance detection device for use in a fraud. 

On July 11 Avon and Somerset Constabulary charged James McCormick with three counts contrary to section 6 and three counts contrary to section 7 of the Fraud Act 2006, relating to three devices, known as ‘ADE 101’, ‘ADE 650’ and ‘ADE 651’. He appears before City of London Magistrates on July 12.