A NORTH Yorkshire businessman awaiting extradition in Australia on allegations of serious fraud charges is heir to the title of one of Scotland's most famous clans.
Charles Forsyth, who is accused of charges related to the collapse of his Boroughbridge firm Personal Computer Science (PCS), is the next title chief of the Forsyth clan.
The honour would have made Forsyth Baron of Ethie until the family lands at Ethie Castle, near Abroath, were sold last year.
Forsyth is being held at Hakea prison, Perth, pending an extradition hearing, which is due in February next year.
He was arrested in November last year as he left a church service in Boyup Brook, in Western Australia, accused of computer fraud, pirated computer offences, deception involving a 1.5 million dollar credit facility overdraft, false accounting and lying about his banking qualifications.
More than 150 people lost their jobs when PCS went into receivership in July 1999.
His ex-wife, Shirley Courtenay, spoke for the first time about her marriage to Forsyth - one of Scotland's richest aristocrats.
She said she had lived in a fashionable Edinburgh townhouse with her three sons, and had access to a string of expensive cars, before Forsyth allegedly deserted her.
Ms Courtenay said: "It has been difficult for me and the boys, but you just have to crack on.
" I have three boys to bring up on my own and all my energy goes into looking after them.
"I am now working full-time. I hadn't worked for 16 years."
Forsyth left his £490,000 home in Oulston when PCS collapsed.
Ms Courtenay added: "My knowledge of what is going on is pretty scarce. As you know, he is in Australia and I don't keep in touch.
"Apart from telephoning to speak to the children on Sundays, I don't have any contact with him."
A Serious Fraud Office spokesman said: "Mr Forsyth is to be the subject of an extradition hearing in Australia.
"He is facing charges relating to the business affairs of Personal Computer Science Ltd, which went into receivership in July 1999."
Updated: 08:47 Monday, October 27, 2003
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