Allen denies Miller shut-down plot

OLDHAM’S Trading Standards boss was accused of having a burning desire to axe Vance Miller’s business from the moment he took the job.

Speaking at the kitchen trader’s trial at Manchester Crown Court, Tony Allen said he was never on a mission to close the firm down.

Mr Miller (44) is accused of advertising solid wood kitchens but delivering chipboard units to furious customers as part of a £3 million taxpayer-funded investigation.

Gaias Gozem, defending one of Mr Miller’s co-accused, put it to Mr Allen that he wanted to close down the kitchen firm as soon as he started his post as head of Trading Standards in 2004.

Mr Gozem said that before Mr Allen came on board, Mr Miller’s firm had enjoyed a ‘good relationship’ with Trading Standards.

Mr Allen denied wanting to shut the firm down and maintained that the relationship with the firm had not changed when he took over.

Trading Standards officers teamed up with police to launch two raids on the firm following customer complaints.

Mr Miller, his girlfriend Nichola Brodie, both of Ramsbottom; Sadiya Hussain, of Milnrow; and Alan Ford, of Ashton; all deny conspiracy to defraud customers by dishonestly representing, through advertising, kitchens as solid or real wood.

Mr Miller and Mr Ford also deny conspiracy to commit fraud by making false representation of the nature and quality of supplied goods.

Both also deny a charge of conspiracy to defraud by failing to disclose names of those carrying on the business.

The case continues.