Jail term ends Forsyth saga
Company director admits operating a fraudulent computer supply business
A company director has been jailed for three years and disqualified from acting as a director for 10 years, after admitting he operated a fraudulent computer supply business.
Charles Forsyth, who set up Yorkshire-based Personal Computer Sciences Ltd in 1995, was charged with offences including obtaining a $1.5m letter of credit from Yorkshire Bank by deception, and giving false information to secure a government grant.
When the firm went into receivership in 1999 with debts of over £4.5m, Forsyth, under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and North Yorkshire Police, fled the country. He was arrested in 2002 in Australia, and tried at Newcastle Crown Court.
John Benstead, SFO case controller, said: "This is a very satisfactory result. It was a difficult and complicated case involving more than 800 potential victims."
Keith Warburton, executive director of the PC Association, said: "I hope Forsyth will accept that just as he can claim to be the key figure behind some outstanding businesses, he was also the only author of their downfall."