Kitchen boss tells jury: I’m innocent

VANCE MILLER

KITCHEN business man Vance Miller claimed “I am innocent” during a heated defence of his character at Manchester Crown Court.

Miller, who is defending himself after he and three colleagues were accused of duping customers over kitchens they sold, said: “I am not going to change my character for no man” after being advised to calm his cross-examination style by the judge.

The trader, whose headquarters is at Maple Mill No 2 in Cardwell Street, Hathershaw, robustly challenged two prosecution witnesses on the third day of his case.

Farmer Charlane Board told how she and her husband spent more than £2,000 on a kitchen in 2006 for a home in France which they wished to rent out.

She told the jury it was extremely important that it was made of solid wood because they wanted it to last.

But she claimed that when they received a kitchen, it was not what they had ordered. And when she complained to the company, she was simply told: “tough”.

Miller told the court Ms Board had been given a full refund.

He then challenged the witness over her knowledge of what was real wood and what was not and produced an expert’s report which he said backed his case.

Miller also said that a phone call to the company which Ms Board had said had lasted more than an hour was actually 18 minutes in duration.

Ms Board’s husband, Joel Durrell, also took the stand.

He told the jury that when he opened the boxes after the kitchen was delivered he found “the biggest pile of rubbish” and after making complaints was “treated as though I was an inconvenient joke”.

Under cross-examination from Miller, he said he could remember exact details of phone calls to the firm.

During one heated exchange, he added: “I have got a farm to get back to. This is a very busy time of the year” to which Miller replied: “I didn’t bring you here.”

At that point Judge Jonathon Foster QC advised Miller he might want to think about his style when cross-examining.

Miller replied: “I am not going to change my character for no man.

“I am not false. I will not pretend to be someone I’m not. If people don’t like it then they don’t. I cannot hide it and I have nothing to hide. I am innocent.”

Miller (44), of Cemetery Road, Ramsbottom, Nicola Brodie (33), of Square Street, Ramsbottom; Sadiya Hussain (29), of Newfield Head, Milnrow, and Alan Ford (45), of Firbank Close, Ashton under Lyne, all deny conspiracy to defraud customers by dishonestly representing by adverts kitchens as solid or real wood.

Miller and Ford also deny conspiracy to commit fraud by making false representation of the nature and quality of the supplied goods. Both also deny a charge of conspiracy to defraud by failing to disclose the names of persons carrying on the business.

The case continues.