A Shropshire travel agent on the run after being convicted of a series of fraud offences has been arrested by police in France.
David Oakley, 62, of Shrewsbury, ran a series of bogus holiday clubs including Caribbean Marketing (UK) Ltd, Voyager International Ltd and VIP Connections Ltd. He was convicted in his absence during a hearing before Shrewsbury Crown Court last year.
At the time he had been living in Spain and had told his lawyer he was too ill to travel for the hearing. He was convicted in his absence to three years and nine months in jail.
Charges included fraudulent trading by running the businesses for the purpose of defrauding customers, using forged cheques, obtaining money by deception and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Oakley and his wife Amanda were arrested by French police near Poitiers after a European Arrest Warrants was issued.
A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: “The arrest was confirmed by officials in France and the extradition process will now continue to return David Oakley to the UK to serve his sentence.”
- More on fraud at travelweekly.co.uk/fraud