‘Trading officers wanted to shut me’

TRADING standards failed to carry out a single test purchase during a £3 million investigation into a business man accused of fraud, a court heard.

Vance Miller (44), who is alleged to have passed off chipboard kitchens as solid wood, questioned Oldham Trading Standards officer Daniel Moore at Manchester Crown Court.

Defending himself, Miller said: “Before spending £3 million of taxpayers’ money and going to Greater Manchester Police to organise the biggest raid ever by trading standards, did you do a test purchase?”

Mr Moore replied: “No.”

Mr Miller claimed: “Trading standards never wanted to find out the truth — they wanted to close me down”

The court heard that in November, 2006, police and trading standards raided Mr Miller’s premises at Maple Mill, Oldham.

However, trading standards never asked for an appointment in the run-up to the raid, the jury was told.

Mr Moore said the company was kept informed of complaints.

The court also heard that trading standards took only one witness statement before the raid, from a customer who was later discovered to have falsified the amount he spent.

Mr Moore said that trading standards took up to 60 statements from customers — but had been wary of approaching people before the raid in case Mr Miller was tipped off.

Later Mr Miller claimed he was “skint” and owed £1 million.

Miller, of Cemetery Road, Ramsbottom, Nicola Brodie (33), of Square Street, Ramsbottom, Sadiya Hussein (29), of Newfield Head, Milnrow, and Alan Ford (45), of Firbank Close, Ashton-under-Lyne, all deny conspiracy to defraud.

Miller and Ford also deny conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and conspiracy to commit fraud by failing to disclose.

The case continues.