Anger after 'spy' sentence cut

A victim of former Shropshire conman Robert Henry-Freegard has spoken of her anger at news he could be released from prison by the end of the year.

Robert Hendy-Freegard's term was cut this after the Court of Appeal quashed his convictions for kidnapping. The bogus MI5 spy, who used to work as a barman at The Swan Inn, Newport, had been jailed for life.

But judges ruled his victims had not technically been kidnapped, as the prosecution had argued at the 2005 trial.

All he now has to serve is the remainder of a nine-year term for 18 offences of fraud and theft, which means he could be out by November.

Hendy-Freegard, nicknamed The Puppetmaster, commandeered the lives of a string of victims during a 10-year charade starting in 1992, defrauding them of an estimated £1 million, including Sarah Smith, then a student at Harper Adams Agricultural College, near Newport.

He pretended to be an MI5 agent sent to investigate an IRA cell at the college and told people they were under threat, convincing them to hand over money and follow his orders.

Miss Smith, who was working to become a farm manager, has now told of her anger at the decision and revealed how it still affects her 15 years on.

She has written a book about the ordeal, called Deceived, due to be published on May 17. She disagrees with the Appeal Court's decision which may still be challenged in the House of Lords.

"I was absolutely stunned when I found out, incredibly upset, and I've been on an emotional rollercoaster ever since," she said.

"As far as I am concerned, the bars Freegard created in my mind trapped me as surely as any physical restraint. He has robbed me of 10 years of my life.

"He is a very skilled liar and manipulator and I have no doubt he will do this again."

Miss Smith, who now lives in Kent with her parents Peter and Jill, added: "Just below the surface I am still in huge turmoil. Taking decisions is a struggle and making choices can leave me in tears. For a long time I didn't trust myself to make decisions about anything or anyone.

"I am extremely lucky in that I have a very supportive family and friends. If they had turned their back on me, I would really have been in trouble, because he forced me to drop out of my degree course and I gave him every penny of my inheritance, more than £180,000."

By Dave West