James Lloyd, 39, has been jailed for 32 months. | Photo: Stephen Daniels
A Boston taxi firm manager who stole his company’s COVID bounce back loan has been jailed for two years and eight months (32 months).
James Lloyd, 39, successfully applied for the loan on behalf of the firm and within days of the money arriving in the company bank account he transferred it into one of his personal accounts.
Lloyd turned to online gambling at the start of lockdown to boost his family income, as at the time he was off work after contracting a lung disease and his wife’s hairdressing salon was closed because of the COVID restrictions.
He was trusted by the owners of Angels Taxis based in Boston, and was a signatory on the company bank account and was given company bank accounts.
But his gambling spiralled out of control and he stole over £140,000 to fund his habit.
Lucy Jones, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court that Lloyd was a friend of Julian and Toni Vines, who owned the company, and was trusted to manage the taxi firm.
She said “It gave him the opportunity to access the company’s funds and fund his addiction to gambling.
“From December 2018 up until the police became involved in August 2020 the defendant spent over £208,000 on gambling websites.
“On 19 May last year a £50,000 government bounce back loan was paid into the company’s account.
“Following that the defendant transferred £68,000 into his personal bank account. In effect the bounce back loan went straight into his own account.”
The thefts came to light in the summer of last year after Toni Vines loaned Lloyd £5,000 to purchase a car. The money wasn’t repaid and when Mrs Vines checked the company bank account, she discovered thousands of pounds had been transferred into Lloyd’s account.
Miss Jones said “Mr Vines called the defendant. He believed there would be an innocent explanation.
“The defendant told him he would be round in the next half hour. Instead, he went to Boston Police Station and admitted to stealing more than £100,000 from his employer.”
Mr Vines subsequently discovered bills had not been paid and a number of company cars had been repossessed.
Julian Vines, in a victim impact statement, said he and his wife have been left in dire financial circumstances as a result of Lloyd stealing from their firm.
He said “Because of what James has done I have very poor credit ratings. It has been absolute carnage trying to pay back the debt James Lloyd has left us.
“I have bailiffs knocking on the door and debt collectors calling us. I’ll be paying this back for years.
“He was a man we trusted. I never doubted him. It’s like hell on earth.”
James Lloyd, 39, of Granville Street, Boston, admitted the theft of £141,045 from his employer. He was jailed for two years and eight months.
Judge Simon Hirst, passing sentence, told him “The effect of your behaviour has been devastating. They [Mr and Mrs Vines] have really suffered financially as a result.
“This is aggravated by the fact that you used Government money designed to get this company back on its feet in the grip of the pandemic.
“This country was in the grip of an emergency. A health and economic crisis. The government provided these loans to assist companies in their fight to survive.
“In effect you took the COVID loan for yourself.
“Plainly this is so serious that only a sentence of immediate custody can be passed.”
Alex Upton, in mitigation, said Lloyd has since shown remorse and has sought help for his gambling addiction.
“This is a man who had previously never been before these courts.
“He found himself in a difficult position where he was unable to work through illness. Then came the lockdown and his wife was not able to open her salon.
“He wasn’t able to stop his gambling and it spiralled out of control.
“He has handed over a boat. It is not anywhere near the total that was taken but is the only asset of value he had.”
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A man in his 30s was airlifted to hospital overnight after he was found with serious, unexplained injuries.
Lincolnshire Police have issued an appeal for witnesses after the man was located at a property on King Street, at around 12.21pm on Wednesday, June 23.
The man is said to be in hospital in a critical condition.
Detective Inspector Andy Wright-Lakin of Lincolnshire Police said in a statement: “At this stage it is unclear how this man sustained his injuries and we are keeping an open mind.
“We are carrying out our investigation to piece together exactly what has happened and we would like to hear from anyone who may have been in the area between Tuesday 22nd June and overnight into today, Wednesday.”
If you can assist us with our investigation, please call us on 101, quoting incident 160 of June 23.
Update at 10pm from Lincolnshire Police: “Residents can now return to their homes.
“A controlled explosion was carried out on the unknown substance in a nearby field by the EOD.
“We would like to thank residents and the public for their co-operation and we would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.
“Our officers remain in the area and our investigations continue.”
6pm: Lincolnshire Police evacuated properties on Queen Street in Sturton by Stow near Lincoln on Wednesday evening after another substance was located at a property that officers have been searching since Tuesday.
This search is part of an ongoing investigation after other substances were located at the property on the evening of Tuesday, June 22.
As previously reported, two men have been arrested and two sets of chemicals have already been destroyed.
A section of the B1241 has been closed in this area also.
Superintendent Pat Coates said: “We have informed the EOD, bomb disposal team, who will ensure the substance is safe.
“It is unclear what this substance is at this stage so we are taking a precautionary measure to ensure everyone’s safety.
“There is no risk to the wider public. Our officers are in the area to assist residents.
“We will do all we can to ensure residents can return to their properties as soon as possible.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused and understand people may be concerned. We will let residents know when it safe for them to return to their homes.”
Gary Allen, 47, has been sentenced to life behind bars after being found guilty of the double murder of sex workers which spanned over two decades.
Allen was convicted of murdering sex worker Samantha Class in October 1997, a crime he had previously been acquitted of during a jury trial in 2000.
He was also convicted of the murder of Alena Grlakova in Rotherham in 2018, another sex worker, meaning his two murders were 21 years and one court trial apart.
Samantha Class (left) and Alena Grlakova (right) were murdered 21 years apart. | Photos: Humberside & South Yorkshire Police
In both instances, the bodies had been found in stretches of water, with Samantha being found by schoolchildren on the banks of the Humber Estuary and Alena in a stream in Rotherham.
The court had head that Allen had a deeply-rooted hatred for women, particularly sex workers, whom he called “scum” and “the lowest of the low”.
He also described women as “easy targets” and was caught on tape by an undercover police officer confessing to Samantha Class’ murder over a decade after he was first acquitted.
At his sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday, Justice Goose said: “You have been convicted of the murders of two women 21 years apart.
“You thought you had got away with murder, but today your past has caught up with you. This jury has, on overwhelming evidence, convicted you on both murders.
“You are an extremely dangerous man with a long-held, deep seated, warped view of women, in particular sex workers.
“It would not be an overstatement to say that what you did to those two women and the suffering to their families was wicked.”
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