Creaven in jail until trial

Silicon Technologies director accused of VAT fraud in custody until January

Company director Dylan Creaven will remain in custody at HMP Wandsworth until January.

Last week, 29-year-old Creaven, a director at Eire-based components distributor Silicon Technologies Europe, appeared at the Old Bailey where the prosecution applied to keep him in custody until a trial date could be fixed. The trial is expected to take place in January 2004.

Creaven has been remanded in custody since November when he was arrested over an alleged VAT fraud, estimated to be worth as much as £162m.

His arrest followed an operation, code-named Chipstick, run by HM Customs and Excise, the Criminal AssetsBureau, Irish police and Irish Revenue Officers of Customs Enforcement. Creaven has been charged with conspiracy to cheat the revenue under Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and money laundering offences under Section 93 C (1) (B) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

Silicon Technologies declined to comment.