Reading Magistrates' Court: man denies defrauding member of Lambourn's racing community

A MAN has been accused of defrauding a member of Lambourn’s horseracing community out of hundreds of pounds.

On Tuesday, August 3, Reading magistrates held a preliminary hearing into the case against Ben Briscoe.

The 40-year-old, who did not attend the hearing but was legally represented, gave an address in Pond Cottages, Plaistow, Billingshurt, West Sussex.

He denies 19 charges of committing fraud by dishonestly making a false representation, namely when using a bank card belonging to Susannah Jeffrey.

The total value of the allegedly fraudulent cash withdrawals is £876.39.

All the offences were said to have been committed in Lambourn on dates between March 8 and March 13 last year.

The prosecution claims that several withdrawals were made on each of the days in question.

Mr Briscoe has entered not guilty pleas to each charge and, via his legal representative, elected trial at Reading Magistrates’ Court rather than trial by judge and jury at a crown court.

Magistrates ruled that the case could proceed no further that day and adjourned all matters until a date in December for the trial.

Mr Briscoe was meanwhile granted unconditional bail.