Mears guilty of deception
- Thread starter Lord Bracknell
- Start date
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
HseagullsH
NSC's tipster
My dad used to know them. Brighton lads aren't they?
Lord Bracknell
On fire
- Thread starter
- #3
BBC News - Lapland brothers guilty of misleading customers
Lapland brothers guilty of misleading customers
Two brothers have been found guilty of misleading thousands of customers at a Lapland-themed park.
The New Forest attraction promised a "winter wonderland" of log cabins and a bustling Christmas market.
But a court heard visitors were greeted by a muddy field, fairy lights dangling from a tree and a broken ice rink.
Victor Mears, 67, and Henry Mears, 60, of Brighton, who ran the attraction, now face prison when they are sentenced on 18 March.
They had advertised the attraction as a "place where dreams come true" - with tickets costing up to £30.
Yet, the jury at Bristol Crown Court heard within days of the Lapland New Forest attraction opening on the Hampshire-Dorset border, hundreds of disgruntled visitors complained to trading standards officials that they had been ripped off.
Less than a week later in November 2008, the attraction closed, with its owners blaming the media and sabotage by "New Forest villains" for the decision.
In court, Henry Mears said: "Whatever you do, you will find the public complain about something."
The trial heard Victor Mears, of Selsfield Drive, and Henry Mears, of Coombe Road, could have made more than £1m from advanced ticket sales.
The brothers were found guilty of eight charges relating to misleading the public.
Victor Mears admitted to the court he took a "bit of a gamble" in setting up Lapland New Forest without investing any money but he said he believed the money would come in as people bought tickets.
He also claimed he had been bullied and harassed by staff and, because of illness, he had handed over the running of the theme park to his son and brother.
Henry Mears told jurors his role was to organise the advertising and co-ordinate the theme park's website but he said he later took on more of a managerial role.
He was to receive 10% of ticket sales but said a £100,000 cheque given to him by his brother Victor bounced, the court heard.
"Victor's idea was to do the ultimate Christmas grotto, outside as opposed to inside," he told the court.
He admitted the photographs on the website were not of Lapland New Forest.
He said that, in his opinion, the attraction was everything they promised customers it would be.
Judge Mark Horton said the pair had "delivered misery to thousands of people" and that Victor Mears "had a substantial history of serious criminal matters".
Dorset County Council, which brought the case to trial, said it was "satisfied that a very long court process is now coming to an end".
A special programme entitled The Men Who Stole Christmas - Lapland New Forest will be broadcast on BBC1 in the South at 1930 GMT and will subsequently be available to watch on iPlayer.
Lapland brothers guilty of misleading customers
Two brothers have been found guilty of misleading thousands of customers at a Lapland-themed park.
The New Forest attraction promised a "winter wonderland" of log cabins and a bustling Christmas market.
But a court heard visitors were greeted by a muddy field, fairy lights dangling from a tree and a broken ice rink.
Victor Mears, 67, and Henry Mears, 60, of Brighton, who ran the attraction, now face prison when they are sentenced on 18 March.
They had advertised the attraction as a "place where dreams come true" - with tickets costing up to £30.
Yet, the jury at Bristol Crown Court heard within days of the Lapland New Forest attraction opening on the Hampshire-Dorset border, hundreds of disgruntled visitors complained to trading standards officials that they had been ripped off.
Less than a week later in November 2008, the attraction closed, with its owners blaming the media and sabotage by "New Forest villains" for the decision.
In court, Henry Mears said: "Whatever you do, you will find the public complain about something."
The trial heard Victor Mears, of Selsfield Drive, and Henry Mears, of Coombe Road, could have made more than £1m from advanced ticket sales.
The brothers were found guilty of eight charges relating to misleading the public.
Victor Mears admitted to the court he took a "bit of a gamble" in setting up Lapland New Forest without investing any money but he said he believed the money would come in as people bought tickets.
He also claimed he had been bullied and harassed by staff and, because of illness, he had handed over the running of the theme park to his son and brother.
Henry Mears told jurors his role was to organise the advertising and co-ordinate the theme park's website but he said he later took on more of a managerial role.
He was to receive 10% of ticket sales but said a £100,000 cheque given to him by his brother Victor bounced, the court heard.
"Victor's idea was to do the ultimate Christmas grotto, outside as opposed to inside," he told the court.
He admitted the photographs on the website were not of Lapland New Forest.
He said that, in his opinion, the attraction was everything they promised customers it would be.
Judge Mark Horton said the pair had "delivered misery to thousands of people" and that Victor Mears "had a substantial history of serious criminal matters".
Dorset County Council, which brought the case to trial, said it was "satisfied that a very long court process is now coming to an end".
A special programme entitled The Men Who Stole Christmas - Lapland New Forest will be broadcast on BBC1 in the South at 1930 GMT and will subsequently be available to watch on iPlayer.
Lord Bracknell
On fire
- Thread starter
- #4
A well-known Brighton family.
Hunting 784561
New member
- Jul 8, 2003
- 3,651
So who is going to be the first to mention Mary Mears ?
Could apply to Mary as well.
Hunting 784561
New member
- Jul 8, 2003
- 3,651
Bingo
what do I win?
Hunting 784561
New member
- Jul 8, 2003
- 3,651
A years supply of knocked off fruit and vegetables.
Lord Bracknell
On fire
- Thread starter
- #10
Well worth a visit ...
Albumen
Don't wait for me!
"Whatever you do, you will find the public complain about something." said Henry Mears, great uncle of the city's council leader Mary Mears.
Lord Bracknell
On fire
- Thread starter
- #12
Victor Mears is very well connected.
Man behind Winter Blunderland rip-off was once jailed for VAT fraud - mirror.co.uk
Man behind Winter Blunderland rip-off was once jailed for VAT fraud
Victor Mears, 65, served four years in the 80s for evading £2million in tax.
The news came as it was revealed his shambolic Lapland New Forest attraction took 50,000 bookings, potentially worth £2million.
Mears, who has been a gold dealer and market trader, was once called as a defence witness in the Brink’s-Mat robbery.
He spoke from prison on behalf of M25 killer Kenneth Noye, who was jailed for laundering gold bars. While in the dock, Mears admitted handling bullion.
Man behind Winter Blunderland rip-off was once jailed for VAT fraud - mirror.co.uk
Man behind Winter Blunderland rip-off was once jailed for VAT fraud
Victor Mears, 65, served four years in the 80s for evading £2million in tax.
The news came as it was revealed his shambolic Lapland New Forest attraction took 50,000 bookings, potentially worth £2million.
Mears, who has been a gold dealer and market trader, was once called as a defence witness in the Brink’s-Mat robbery.
He spoke from prison on behalf of M25 killer Kenneth Noye, who was jailed for laundering gold bars. While in the dock, Mears admitted handling bullion.
Well that answers that one then...What do you have to do to get Brighton mentioned on BBC South ? Answer - Shaft half of Hampshire
ROSM
Well-known member
At least 4 of nsc's finest went to university in Southampton. Wonder how close to shagging half of Hampshire they got?
Seriously though half of Hampshire would turn up to seeing tinsel on a stick
Barrel of Fun
Abort, retry, fail
Remarkable bullshit that they come up with in court. Bullied? Of course you were.
Remarkable that they were allowed to set it up in the first place.
Remarkable that they were allowed to set it up in the first place.
The Spanish
Well-known member
this is f***ing harsh. the law's the law, but they should have how f***ing funny the crime is taken into consideration during sentencing. some of the whinges from parents of poor little angels who had their lives ruined by these wicked men, about smoking elves, and some of the footage, had me in absolute bits.
The irony is that people would have paid to go along for a giggle after it was exposed as being a disaster. It's a shame that a few kids saw an elf smoking but theme parks get away with a lot worse in the rip off stakes. If anything the biggest crime was the cruelty to the animals. Make them do community service as santa in Churchill square for the next 10 years, but don't clog up nick with them.
glasfryn
cleaning up cat sick
My wife and I could'nt stop laughing as only those pair of brothers Grimm would try and get away with ripping people off to the tune of 1m.
the sadness is they bring Brighton into a very bad light
they treated many people just like they treated those poor animals ..........unfeeling louts the pair of them
the sadness is they bring Brighton into a very bad light
they treated many people just like they treated those poor animals ..........unfeeling louts the pair of them