A former travel agent told a court today how Shropshire businessman David Oakley ran up a £15,000 debt for flights to Caribbean holiday resorts.

Simon Bampton claimed that Oakley had even persuaded him to use his own credit card to book some flights.

See also – Travel firm boss ‘a conman’

He told a jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court that at the time in question, Oakley was running Caribbean Marketing (UK) Ltd, based in Shrewsbury.

Oakley, of Salters Lane, Shrewsbury, denies running Caribbean Marketing, Voyager International Ltd and VIP Connections Ltd while banned from managing or being a director of a company.

He also denies fraudulent trading by running the businesses for the purpose of defrauding customers.

The 62-year-old also denies charges of using forged cheques, obtaining money by deception and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The offences are all alleged to have taken place between May 1999 and November 2002 when Oakley was said to have been based at offices in Frankwell.

Mr Bampton today told the jury: “His (Oakley’s) wife Amanda rang and said Oakley was in hospital and could I help out by using my own card.

“I trusted him and paid for the flights and afterwards it happened quite frequently,” he said.

Mr Bampton, from Sussex, said Oakley also gave him customers’ credit card details to pay for flight tickets.

He claimed that on occasions Oakley also said he had authority to use the customers’ cards to buy tickets for other people.

Mr Bampton said that several Caribbean Marketing cheques bounced and that the debt just got “bigger and bigger”.

The court has heard Oakley ran up a £35,000 bill with Beacon FM which ran 800 advertisements for Caribbean Marketing and that the radio station was still owed £24,000.

The prosecution allege that 62-year-old Oakley is a conman and sold timeshare and holiday club memberships with the intention to cheat his clients.

Oakley is not in the dock for his trial. It is being held in his absence.

The trial continues.

By Arthur Mills