Trusted financial advisor cons friends and neighbours out of £2million in 'campaign of fraud'

A Warwickshire financial adviser who systematically defrauded 36 friends and neighbours out of nearly £2million has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Timothy Barnes, 68, known locally as Paul, was a respected and familiar figure in his close-knit village community before his crimes came to light.

The trusted professional exploited relationships built over decades, borrowing money under false pretences from those closest to him during a six-month period between November 2022 and May 2023.

His victims included longstanding friends, neighbours, and even a criminal lawyer.

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Warwickshire Police subsequently discovered that Barnes had been channelling the stolen funds into a cryptocurrency wallet.

He was sentenced on June 19 after pleading guilty to multiple fraud offences.

Among those betrayed was Carolyne Ryan-Bell, a 57-year-old professional horse trainer who had considered Barnes a close friend for approximately 25 years.

The pair lived just doors apart in Abbots Morton, and their families had shared countless occasions together, from Christmas celebrations and Boxing Day gatherings to skiing trips and birthday parties.

In December 2022, Barnes approached her requesting £40,000, claiming he needed to urgently settle inheritance tax obligations following his mother's death.

"When somebody you've known for that long asks to borrow money, you don't question it. I had absolutely no reason not to believe him," Ms Ryan-Bell said.

Barnes promised the funds would be returned within days.

At the time, Ms Ryan-Bell was navigating a particularly stressful divorce, making her especially vulnerable to his manipulation.

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The friendship rapidly disintegrated as Barnes offered one excuse after another for failing to return the money.

Ms Ryan-Bell's distress intensified when she discovered she was merely one of dozens who had fallen victim to his scheme.

"It turns out he asked everybody, absolutely everybody he knew. Every single person, my next-door neighbours, and he even asked a criminal lawyer," she said.

She eventually recovered £25,000 through instalments, but £15,000 remains outstanding.

Before making any repayments, Barnes had the audacity to approach her 84-year-old father, requesting £30,000 supposedly to repay her.

"I have no hope at all of getting the money back," she said. "Where did all that money go?"

She described the lasting emotional impact: "It's not about forgiveness, but it's very difficult to move forward when something like that has happened to you."

Michele and Liam McFall from Stratford-upon-Avon also found themselves ensnared by Barnes's deception.

The couple, aged 65 and 73 respectively, had initially engaged Barnes professionally more than a decade earlier when planning their retirement after running a guest house in the town.

Over the years, what began as a business relationship evolved into friendship, with Barnes making regular visits to their home.

"It went beyond just being our financial adviser to becoming a personal friendship," Ms McFall said.

When Barnes called in 2022 seeking assistance, they reluctantly agreed to lend him £10,000 after he assured them repayment would come within a week.

He provided a signed agreement confirming the repayment date, which later proved to be forged.

The promised repayment date came and went, with Barnes continuing to offer reassurances that the money was forthcoming. The couple desperately needed the funds to complete a property purchase.

"I can't describe the worry and the stress," Ms McFall said. "We had nowhere else to get that money from."

She reflected: "With hindsight I feel stupid because there were so many red flags I didn't recognise. We just want to know the answers. Why did he do this?"

Barnes, who later relocated to Charland Court in Droitwich, admitted 39 counts of fraud in total. His victims included the Pershore-based British Motorcycle Charitable Trust, where he served as chairman, and the residents' association of his own housing estate.

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