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Mark Robertson
Mark Robertson, from Poole, was convicted of carrying on a business for fraudulent purposes and sentenced to four years imprisonment and disqualified from being a Company Director for five years.
Bournemouth Crown Court heard that Robertson nominated his own building society account to be credited with £1,440,700 of public money, which he then used to purchase a Jeep Cherokee, a BMW 840, a Mercedes SLK and a 21ft speedboat after manipulating ILAs. He also paid deposits on two homes, bought a ladies' Cartier watch, a Rolex watch and diamond cluster earrings. His assets are now subject to a confiscation order. He must repay £506,983 within 12 months or face a further 3 1/2 years in prison.
Robertson's company MRT Operations ran computing courses which he taught himself on a one-to-one basis. The course he supplied did not represent value for money. All that was supplied was a book which could have been purchased off the shelf for about £15.
During a nine-month period Robertson, who had no computer qualifications and who was unemployed prior to the venture, took a personal salary of more than £300,000 and employed over 100 salesmen.
Robertson unsuccessfully appealed against conviction and confiscation at the Court of Appeal in May 2006.