Police charge three more in Abbey case

Three more people have been charged in the Abbey National fraud case.

Ian Zak, the former joint managing director of the Business Development Partnership, Robert Taylor, and Guy Hewitt managing director of NRG Communication have been added to the list of five defendants accused of conspiring to defraud the high street bank. All eight will appear before City of London magistrates next Wednesday, April 19.

Neither Taylor nor Hewitt have previously been mentioned in connection with the case. It arises from Abbey National allegations that its former marketing services manager Mike Doyle, and named suppliers, conspired to charge it for work that was not done or overcharged for work which was carried out.

The original five, who were charged last month, were Doyle, his brother James, his wife Bethan, Stuart Nicholson – formerly of Major Taylor Nicholson – and Stephen Bracken of ASB Consulting.

Abbey is pursuing a civil action against nine defendants. But that will be delayed until after the criminal case has been tried.