Ex-GP Noble trustee loses appeal over £52m pension fraud

Former GP Noble trustee Graham Pitcher's application to appeal his eight-year prison sentence has been refused.

Pitcher was imprisoned in 2011 for conspiracy for defraud for his role in the misuse of £52m in pension scheme funds managed by GP Noble. He launched an appeal in December 2013 on the grounds of new evidence which came to light during the trial of GP Noble principal Tony Morris, who was acquitted.Pitcher argued in his appeal that "at all times he had sought to act in the best interests of the beneficiary pensioners". He said that in 2007-08 he moved the £52m of the pension scheme funds "in good faith" into British Virgin Island companies connected to Morris, and that payments he recei...