Rivers of complaints are still coming in with regards to at Dyserth, near Rhyl.
Consumers are reminded that the site is still reportedly owned by the Goddard family.
The timeshare resort was subject to a full investigation in 2007 which lead to a conviction in the Mold Crown Court.
Both Arthur Goddard, 60, a Director of Graig Park Village at Dyserth, near Rhyl, and sales manager Alan Hill, 51, had denied fraudulent trading, but were convicted after an intensive four-week trial.
Judge John Rogers QC told the fraudsters, who were both jailed for two-and-a-half years, that they had “tainted the good reputation of the tourist industry in North Wales”.
The pair of bandits offered free breaks at their holiday park in North Wales to the owners of existing timeshares, and then pressured their victims into paying for part-exchange rights that were in reality “worthless and a swizzle”.
Their self style mis-adventure defrauded an estimated total of 50 victims of nearly £500,000 in a period of a seven-month “The fraudulent “sales drive”.
Also at court was
Both David Goddard, 55, and the park’s manager Christopher Gibbs, 37, who is Arthur Goddard’s son-in-law. They too were charged with fraud, which they both denied, and were cleared by the jury.
The court heard Hill was the expert who arranged the presentations and obtained the money from unsuspecting timeshare customers, while Arthur Goddard provided the facilities at Graig Park for the frauds to take place.
Robin Spencer QC, prosecuting, said that:-“people who accepted the free breaks came under severe pressure to sign up, the safeguards of the Timeshare Act 1992 were flouted, and many people were not informed of their right to cancel the agreement”.
Most people were required to pay a deposit on the spot, usually £1,000.
“If people already had time shares, they would be offered tempting, generous, part-exchange allowances,” he said.
But Mr Spencer said the purchase price had been vastly inflated so that apparent generous part-exchange allowances were worthless.
The promise of taking over the existing part-exchange failed and never materialised, so that the customers found themselves liable for two sets of maintenance charges.
As a result of consumer pressure several trading standards officials in Durham, Salford and Lancashire, and Denbighshire County Council started “a huge and coordinated investigation” in August 2007. (well done trading standards)
Mr Spencer told the jury: “In total, you will be able to see the patterns of abuse and fraud across 120 agreements, sold for well in excess of £1.1m.”
Timeshare Consumers who have bought into these products should seek a full recovery and that recovery could be against the facilitated loans and credit card companies which assist in the acquisition.
The actual value of the trial fraud was £461,000, he said.
Judge Rogers said Arthur Goddard handled the investigation into the affair with “arrogant indifference”.
He was said to have threatened the chief investigator, Mr. Philip Richards, that if he persisted then “I will come after you”. (the ranting of a fraudster)
Goddard was slammed with a ban from being the Director of a company for eight years and was given six months to pay nearly £600,000 made up of £111,200 in court costs, £25,405 compensation to the victims and repayment of the £461,000 fraud.
If you were subject to the same actions by the resort the TCA can assist you!
The sales manager Mr. Hill, who was a bankrupt, was disqualified from being a Company Director for five years. A £1 nominal order was made against him. The effect of such an order means that if he comes into funds in the future the prosecution can and will seek the money.
Sentencing Goddard and Hill, Judge Rogers said: “You ignored your statutory obligations and deceived purchasers – and ignored their requests for redress.”
Consumers today, are still being ignored and are encouraged to action any claims.
In respect to fraud (which these sales were) the resort will have little applied defence in respect to the Limitation Act as they could be frauds.
To this day people are still surfacing from the past deeds of these people and the TCA can assure them that they are entitled to an exit and consequential compensation which flows.
Again and quite remarkably the industry are silent on the fraud and fail to fully engage with the public to get them their money back.
For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk