Bail scam could land grandmother in jail (From Salisbury Journal)

Bail scam could land grandmother in jail

2:45pm Friday 13th December 2002

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A GRANDMOTHER may face prison in the new year for trying to con her way into standing bail for a man facing money-laundering charges.

Estate agent Moya Preston-Roth, of Fairfield Gardens, Bromley, put up £270,000 security under a false name as a favour to a friend.

She got an unwitting office junior to forge a letter valuing a £185,000 property and took nine years off her own age.

But her scam was spotted when a police officer noticed a series of spelling mistakes and irregularities, the Old Bailey heard.

The 58-year-old, who admitted perverting the course of justice, was granted conditional bail over Christmas.

Preston-Roth, who ran Preston and Co estate agents in New Cross Road, New Cross, was approached by accused fraudster Athanasis Apostolopolous's family in May.

Prosecuting Jonathon Rees said: "In putting herself forward, she provided a number of details which were false."

Preston-Roth applied in the name of Veronica Daniels, from a flat above her offices.

She put forward three properties in Catford and Deptford as security for bail for Apostolopolous, who faces trial next year.

Judge Jeremy Roberts QC told her she would be sentenced on January 17 and he would not rule out a jail term.

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