Ron in court.

[walktheline]

 

[Smiffy]

Let's see how this plays out over the coming months.

But IF found guilty, then a lengthy custodial sentence awaits.

Time for Tom to release another statement I feel...

LEYTON: Former football chairman jailed for £16million VAT scam

The former chairman of Leyton Football Club has been jailed for more than eight years over a £9 million VAT scam involving ‘phantom’ houses.

www.guardian-series.co.uk

 

[blues exile]

Whether eventually found guilty or cleared this is yet more unwelcome publicity for the club at a time when it is supposedly set to complete a new management structure and make new signings. It will simply reinforce what seems to be the widely held view that that SUFC is best avoided and we will therefore only be able to attract cast offs that no one else wants.

 

[Cricko]

Let's see how this plays out over the coming months.

But IF found guilty, then a lengthy custodial sentence awaits.

Time for Tom to release another statement I feel...

I don't think there is anything to add atm. Until it actually goes to court, its just words...Not saying it isn't serious on paper but it is nothing to do with the club, albeit RM is master of all.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

I am in two, or three mind sets over this.

RM and Mr King may have cheated tax man, so in effect they have cheated the tax paying public, you and me.
Then again I suspect many small to medium size companies "cheat" the tax payer as much as they can, while huge companies, such as Amazon, just get mega cute and make no bones about paying as little as they can and **** everyone.

Was the Blair's recent publicised property dealing via Caymen Island companies etc anything other than clever cheating?

And the dealing of RM years ago, in the west of England are NOT anything to do with SUFC are they, except he holds the whiphand over both?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Let's see how this plays out over the coming months.

But IF found guilty, then a lengthy custodial sentence awaits.

Time for Tom to release another statement I feel...

A lengthy custodial sentence is one option but what if they acted in good faith upon legal and/or accountancy advice?

 

[DistantBlue]

It's something to do with a newspaper correspondent from over 100 years ago who used to go to a town or city and a description was printed in the newspaper. To win the money you had to go up to him and say "You are X and I claim my £5".

Someone on here must know more than I do!

Apparently----(and my mum told me this)..............you had to go up to this person ,tap him/her on the shoulder and say the immortal words
"You are Lobby Ludd " and I claim my £5 "
Such fun !!
If you were right you got £5 (not a little amount in the day)
If you were wrong you possibly got a smack in the mouth!!!

 

[tommy tucker]

Time for stan to step up to the plate to sort this mess out Come on Tom give him the job .Its what most of the fans want .

 

[Cricko]

Time for stan to step up to the plate to sort this mess out Come on Tom give him the job .Its what most of the fans want .

But it's nothing to do with the running of the club, just that the same person involved with another property issue just happens to be the owner.

I haven't a clue as none of us do yet as to where this whole thing will lead.

 

[Smiffy]

But it's nothing to do with the running of the club, just that the same person involved with another property issue just happens to be the owner.

I haven't a clue as none of us do yet as to where this whole thing will lead.

One thing we can be sure of is that it will smear more mud on our club by association.

 

[bluesfansince1952]

Whilst I 100% agree with the presumption of innocent until proven guilty, my sympathy at the moment will be reserved for Ron's family only (and Geoff Kings' who seems to have been forgotten about) - unless of course he/they is/are found not guilty at which time he/they will have my sympathy.

I stress 'not guilty' rather than 'case not proven' or any 'technicality' that results in the charges being dropped.

I would also stress that I have no idea whether there is even a single charge to face or whether this is some form of vendetta by HMRC though in all honesty it would be a surprise if a publicly funded organisation where decisions are normally made by 'committee' were able to pursue such courses of action.

To say that this situation is "not the concern of SZ" beggars belief in my opinion - this may be the single most worrying scenario that the club are currently facing.

I have no love for RM, but I honestly hope that he and Geoff King have nothing to fear in this and will be found not guilty at Crown Court.

Please do not misquote me....I said his innocence or guilt of the charges he and Geoff King are not the concern of SZ as I believe that this is for the court system to determine.
The potential implications of this are very much of concern to SZ and anyone who supports the Club.
I would agree 100% with your statement that 'this may be the single most worrying scenario that the club are currently facing'.
But while agreeing with you on that score I also still believe that Shrimperzone is not the appropriate forum to discuss the details of the case or the guilt or innocence of those charged.
The potential fall out from all of this assuredly is something all on here should be concerned about.

 

[Cultist of Sooty]

It's something to do with a newspaper correspondent from over 100 years ago who used to go to a town or city and a description was printed in the newspaper. To win the money you had to go up to him and say "You are X and I claim my £5".

Someone on here must know more than I do!

Other people have already answered the origin. I learned it was a thing that existed when we read Brighton Rock, by Graham Greene, at school.

That had a fictional version of the same chap, called "Kolley Kibber".

Brighton Rock is all about criminal goings on at a British seaside resort. Thank goodness that sort of thing only happens in fiction, eh?

 

[kentblues]

A lengthy custodial sentence is one option but what if they acted in good faith upon legal and/or accountancy advice?

The point is nobody knows the facts of the case and they won’t know the full detail for many months probably. It’s all complete speculation beyond the headline amounts owed (allegedly). Not sure we even know what group companies it involves and there are numerous independent legal entities so if one collapses it doesn’t necessarily affect any of the others. And Ron can resign from unaffected entities as necessary leaving his son in charge.

No one knows the extent and implications of this and I would bear that in mind whatever we may read on hear or on social media.

There not a lot I can say because TBH I have very little idea of the facts or implications

 

[blueblueblue]

People saying it's putting the club through the mud, it's nothing to do with the club. It's two business men that owned land or property from the past. This has nothing to do with SUFC or will directly effect the club financially.

 

[Rob1920]

I just want to hear that this won't derail the developement plans including the stadium, or the funding of the club, regardless of what happens to Ron. I guess we also need to know if it will, much as I don't want to hear it!

 

[Tampa Blue]

Revenue fraud – Sentencing

www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

 

[blueblueblue]

I just want to hear that this won't derail the developement plans including the stadium, or the funding of the club, regardless of what happens to Ron. I guess we also need to know if it will, much as I don't want to hear it!

Why would it? It's funding to the club, not an individual.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

People saying it's putting the club through the mud, it's nothing to do with the club. It's two business men that owned land or property from the past. This has nothing to do with SUFC or will directly effect the club financially.

I totally disagree. Anything like this muddies the waters of SUFC, because articles in the press start with "Southend United chairman....", and if he was to put inside, are their any contingency plans of who operates negotiations in his absense ?

 

[hlane17]

That date is very soon but the case won’t actually be heard for ages. The courts are underfunded and overwhelmed from even before Covid. The only way this will speedily be resolved if they both plead guilty and it is just sentencing.

Guessing the case is going for preliminary hearing at Crown? These cases don't often go to the Crown if not serious too...

 

[united we stand]

I wrote out a long post and then decided i couldn’t be arsed so instead just went for

bugger