Chorley lettings businessman who fraudulently kept tenant deposits is jailed

Preston’s Sessions House Court heard former estate agent Timothy Shinners, 31, of Rotherwick Avenue, Chorley, failed to pay people’s deposits into a protection scheme as required by regulations, and spent it in what became an £80,000 fraud.

He cheated his business partner Chris Baron during the six year fraud.

When the fraud came to light at Bolton based Platinum Properties, another businessman in the venture honoured the deposits Shinners should have protected with £30,000 of his own money - an action praised by judge Graham Knowles.

Shinners, who is married with two children, was found guilty of two counts of making false representations to cause loss to another, two of making and supplying articles for use in a fraud, and carrying on the business of company with intent to defraud creditors.

During his trial he attempted to blame others.

Judge Knowles, disqualifying him from being a company director for eight years, said: “You rode roughshod over the protection of tenant’s deposits.

“You and Chris Baron agreed together what each of you would draw from the business and it was not a lot, and he kept to that deal throughout and he thought you kept to that deal - but he and others learned you did not.

“You funded your life, your home and the life of your family from company money regardless of the company’s interest.”