BNP Fraudster Peter Mailer forged signature to help sell hotel

Peter Mailer

A FRAUDSTER is being held in custody after he was convicted of forging a signature to push through the sale of a Northumberland hotel.

Peter Mailer, who stood as a BNP candidate in Berwick in this year’s General Election, was remanded in custody and warned a prison sentence is likely after jurors found him guilty of forgery offences.

Mailer, 53, had used his former manager’s signature to push through the £245,000 sale of the Hen and Chickens Hotel, in Berwick.

Mailer had already been ordered to pay Trudy Waugh compensation after she won a tribunal case against him for unfair dismissal.

A county court “charge” was later put on the hotel Mailer owned when he failed to pay up in the years that followed, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

That meant the business in Berwick could not be sold while the “charge” was still in place. But Mailer, from Bricksheds, Belford, passed the hotel to his brother in August 2006 for £245,000, the court heard.

And when an accountant began to investigate the still outstanding compensation, it was discovered two key documents had been forged with Ms Waugh’s signature.

After he was convicted of forgery and using a false instrument by a majority verdict, Mailer bowed his head and appeared upset.

Judge Roger Thorn warned him: “This is a serious matter and there will almost certainly be a custodial sentence. I order pre-sentence reports and they will go to the length of the sentence.”

Mailer, 53, had denied charges of forgery and using a false instrument within intent between November 2004 and November 2006.

The first offence involves an allegation he produced a bogus written agreement between himself and Ms Waugh. The second relates to an official Land Registry form saying the county court “charge” had been removed, the court heard.

Mailer was arrested last November after the documents were passed to police. He will now face a proceeds-of-crime hearing in an effort to claw back some of his ill-gotten gains. He was remanded in custody until November 8.

That meant the business in Berwick could not be sold while the “charge” was still in place

Journal Live