Members of fraud gang to pay £1m

Four men jailed for their part in an "utterly ruthless" fraud, which used a bogus company based in Shropshire, have been ordered to pay back nearly £1 million.

The cash has been recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act after the men, who set up Prudential Commercial Investments using offices at The Case Mill in Ludlow, fleeced dozens of unsuspecting investors.

The company was used as a front to target UK citizens around the world, and saw almost £2 million stolen.

But a joint investigation conducted over six years by the West Mercia Police and the Serious Fraud Office led to the arrest of six men. Five received substantial jail sentences, and now more than £982,000 in assets has been recovered from four of them.

Peter Roope, 52, was jailed for four years and eight months after admitting conspiracy to defraud between March 2003 and March 2004. He has been ordered to repay £844,637.

His right-hand man, 52-year-old Gareth Matthews, formerly of Cardiff, was jailed for four years after admitting the same offence and will have to repay £354.

Three others, Charles Frisby, 65, Douglas Miller, 50, and John Roope - Peter Roope's twin - were found guilty of conspiracy.

Frisby, who was jailed for four and a half years, will repay £65,352 and John Roope, jailed for two years, will pay back £71,878.