BBC journalist brought down Fleetwood Town Football Club boss Andy Pilley’s multi million pound fraud

THE lucurative multi-million pound fraud involving mis-selling engery contracts was exposed by an undercover journalist working for the BBC.

In April 2012 journalist Gregor Stewart exposed the scam after working at the energy firms owned by Andy Pilley.

His findings pulled the rug from underneath the feet of Fleetwood Town Football Club boss Andy Pilley, his sister Michelle Davidson and colleagues Lee Qualter and Joel Chapman and saw them jailed for a total of 26 years yesterday.

Gregor Stewart was taken on by Pilley’s firm in 2012.

He was made to sign three contracts, one for the sham company where he was working, one for BES and one for Pilley’s company that owns Fleetwood Town FC.

Preston Crown Court heard established staff spoke unguardedly to the undrcover journalist of Pilley’s real role as the big boss, and

of the lies to tell.

Pilley’s reaction to the BBC programme was to make a baseless complaint to Ofcom which was dismissed.

Ofgem began an investigation into BES in 2013 which became formal early in 2014.

The scale of the fraud was so widespread it led to an investigation and successful prosecution by the National Trading Standards Regional Investigation Team (North West), which is hosted by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The criminal investigation followed previous warnings and investigations from enforcement bodies, including Blackpool Trading Standards and Ofgem, before the current Trading Standards case began as a mis-selling investigation commenced by Lancashire Trading Standards in December 2013.

Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said: “Small business owners were deliberately deceived and locked in to long-term and expensive energy contracts, leaving them struggling to pay the bills and causing many businesses to go under.

“These sentences send a strong message that crime does not pay, even for influential and well-known individuals like Andrew Pilley.

“It has been a long and complex case and I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the Trading Standards officers involved for their commitment and perseverance to protect honest customers and safeguard legitimate businesses.”

Pilley, 53, was jailed for a total of 13 years and disqualified from being a director for 13 years.

Davidson, who wept as the judge passed sentence, was jailed for six years and disqualified as director for nine years.

Qualter was jailed for seven years and disqualified as director for nine years.

Chapman was jailed for eight months.