A former Shrewsbury businessman facing a series of allegations of deception and obtaining money transfers involving more than £360,000 today appeared in court.

David Oakley, 62, formerly of Salters Lane, is accused of a total of nine offences – four of which he is jointly charged with his wife, Amanda Oakley. He was remanded in custody.

At court today Shrewsbury magistrates formally transferred the case for Oakley to stand trial at the town’s crown court.

Oakley is due to appear before Judge Robin Onions on June 1 when his case will be adjourned to join with the case of his 51-year-old wife, who was remanded in custody earlier this month.

During today’s 10-minute hearing Oakley, using a walking stick, confirmed his name and age and that he was of no fixed address.

All the allegations are said to have been committed on various dates between May 2002 and December 2004.

The charges include an allegation that in May 2002, Oakley and his wife dishonestly obtained for Henry Lees solicitors, a money transfer of £158,975 by representing that Amanda Oakley was employed as a marketing manager by Criterion Research Services earning £33,800 a year.

The couple face three other joint allegations – that they conspired together to dishonestly obtain money transfers by falsely representing that she worked for a garden construction company, dishonestly obtained £191,930 for Terry Jones solicitors by claiming she was a marketing manager earning £48,000, and conspiring to obtain a money transfer for a solicitor using the same job claims.

Oakley faces a further five allegations, including two charges that between February 2003 and August 2003, he twice obtained £5,000 from Nicholas Maddy by deception by falsely representing that he would repay the money with extra payments of £2,500 and that he was allowed to sign cheques in Amanda Oakley’s name.

There are three other allegations on dates between August and October 2003, in which Oakley is accused of dishonestly obtaining money transfers for Amanda Oakley – one for £5,000 and two for £1,200 – by falsely representing that UK Premier Leisure owed the money to a business called A. Oakley & Associates.

By Arthur Mills