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Monday 9 September 2013

Nouveau World Wines/ Finbow sentencing fiasco

Daniel Snelling

In a surprise development the sentencing of Daniel Snelling on all four counts in the Nouveau World Wines Ltd/Finbow Wines Ltd fraud and Rebecca McDonald in respect to conspiracy to defraud in relation to Finbow Wines Ltd has been adjourned until tomorrow afternoon – around 2pm at Court 3.

A crowded Court 3 at Southwark Crown Court was stunned when His Honour Judge Grieve QC announced around 3.45pm that sentencing would have to be delayed because all Southwark courts could not continue beyond 4pm today due apparently to a community event. There were shouts of "you must be joking" from the public galleries, which included some 20 family and friends present to support Rebecca McDonald.

The sentencing hearing started a little after 2pm and by just after 3.30pm the Judge had heard submissions from the Crown and pleas of mitigation from counsel for Daniel Snelling and Rebecca McDonald. The court then rose for the judge to consider these submissions. His Honour Judge Grieve returned ten minutes later to make his bombshell announcement. He apologised profusely for the anguish this delay will cause the defendants but the circumstances were beyond his control.  

This very unfortunate delay was obviously particularly distressing for Rebecca McDonald. 

Dina Snelling was not present in court – she has been suffering from severe depression and was admitted briefly to hospital last week. She will be seeing a psychiatrist on 19th September. Dina Snelling will be sentenced once the judge receives the psychiatrist's report –  the sentencing date has been fixed for 11th October.

In relation to Daniel Snelling the Crown has applied that he be banned from serving as a UK director  – the maximum ban is 15 years. Also that a Serious Crime Prevention Order be issued against him and for this to apply from the time of his release from prison. Under a Serious Crime Prevention Order Snelling would have to reveal all of his financial transactions to the police. 

The process of issuing confiscation orders against the Snellings and McDonald has been set in train. 

The trial date for 32-year-old Kelly Humphreys, Daniel Snelling's girl friend, and 39-year-old William (Billy) Alan Davies has been fixed for 2nd June 2014. It is estimated to last three to four weeks. Humphreys is charged with three counts: conspiracy to defraud in relation to both Nouveau World Wines Ltd and Finbow Wines Ltd as well as money laundering (Count 3 – see charges here). Davies is charged with conspiracy to defraud in relation to Finbow Wines Ltd – he had no involvement in Nouveau.

Humphreys was originally due to stand trial with the others but was severed from the trial as she was pregnant. Davies was only found by the police and arrested on 13th August. He is now on bail with a surety of £100,000. Humphreys and Davies have pleaded not guilty.
             




19 comments:

  1. 7 years and 6 months -- Dan is actually a nice guy wish him all the best

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    1. Daniel Snelling may be personable but is a serial fraudster. There will be many investors whose life and retirement will be considerably less comfortable because of his actions.

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    2. But actually not nice enough to protest the innocence of others around him?

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  2. Completely right Jim a total fiasco.
    The jury got it wrong on behalf of Rebecca and now the judge has added to this miserable situation.

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  3. I believe the Jury reached the result result for both Rebecca and Daniel. However , I feel that judge failed in his duties as Rebecca should be doing 6 years and Daniel 10 years. May they both rot at Her Majesty´s pleasure! Long live the Queen!

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  4. Does anyone know what they got sentenced to ?

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  5. The Guardian says he got 17 years?

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    1. The Guardian are partially right. Taking the four counts he got 17 years in total – 1 (6 years) 2 (1.5), 3 (2) and 4 (7.5 years). The sentences will run at the same time, so 7.5 years is his time in prison with the possibility of release on licence after serving half of his time.

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  6. I would imagine a nice bottle of red will not be on the menu tonight in Belmarsh?

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  7. Any news on Billy? His trial was set for this month originally.

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  8. Anon. True it was. Have heard nothing.

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  9. Billy D is currently in Soutwark Crown Court

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  10. Thank you. Is this the start of his trial?

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  11. Hi is anyone aware of how things evolved with William Davies?

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  12. JIM WHAT IS THE NEWS ON BILLY DAVIES AND KELLY HUMPHRIES

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  13. Hi Jim, sorry to bring up such an old thread, but did you ever get to find out what happened with Billy Davies? I think he may have been acquitted in 2014, with his defence being a Mr Richard Wormald of SRB. There is reference to a 2.5mil wine fraud on a number of websites that mention this Junior defending a Billy or William Davies. There is nothing else to see regarding this, so assume all results have been removed under EU law.

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    1. Sorry no news of the outcome of the trial of Billy Davies.

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