Chief inspector John Buttress, 48, was arrested at the GMP’s headquarters in March 2013 and went on trial at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, the Manchester Evening News (MEN) reported.
The property, Little Pentre Farm, is located in Wrexham in Nort
The prosecution alleged that Buttress , located in Wrexham, he notified his bosses of a business interest. This was his intention to let out the converted barn as a holiday rental on an occasional basis.
According to court reports from the MEN, following his divorce from his wife, Buttress applied for a remortgage through Intelligent Finance in February 2011 with a request to borrow an additional £50,000. Buttress did not disclose to Intelligent Finance that he was planning to let the property which according to the prosecution, was a requirement of the lender.
In April 2011, Buttress began converting the main residence into holiday accommodation to accompany the barn conversion. The court was told that the property was marketed as a holiday let through Sykes Cottages.
While the remortgage application was being considered by Intelligent Finance, Buttress created a website to market the property – the prosecution told the jury. The website is said to make it clear that both properties were available to rent together or separately.
An email sent by Buttress to a colleague also stated he was spending £30,000 to renovate ‘two lucrative lets’.
Prosecutor Gerald Baxter said: “Mr Buttress benefited first of all by obtaining a mortgage which otherwise would have been refused and secondly because he was avoiding any interest and penalties that might have been applied for letting it out.”
Buttress also benefitted from off-setting his allegedly fraudulent mortgage against his savings which would result in a reduction in the interest he would pay on the mortgage balance.
The day after his arrest Buttress asked Intelligent for permission to let out part of his property.
Following his arrest Buttress claimed he was unaware he needed to inform his lender of his intention to the let his property on an occasional basis.
The trial continues.
